[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 16 (Friday, January 30, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING BEATRICE CASTIGLIA-CATULLO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 30, 2015

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, sometimes a simple civic organization 
intended to help and improve a small community can turn into a pillar 
of hope for an entire city. That has undoubtedly been the case with 
Regional Aid for Interim Needs, or RAIN, thanks in large part to its 
founder, Beatrice Castiglia-Catullo.
  Bea has given her life to her community and always advocates on 
behalf of those marginalized. RAIN was founded in 1964 to serve those 
in need as a multi-social service agency. It provides an array of 
invaluable services to the senior community of the Bronx, many of whom 
are handicapped, home bound, or otherwise incapable of providing 
themselves with certain necessities.
  RAIN has full-service neighborhood senior centers, home-delivered 
meals, transportation services, assistance with benefits and 
entitlements, case management and elder abuse services, in addition to 
community-based mobile meals for homeless and hungry persons. Their 
commitment to helping the elderly population has also led to the 
sponsorship of two residential housing projects for low-income seniors 
and an affiliated home attendant program that provides in-home 
attendant and care services.
  Building off their incredible success in the Bronx, RAIN has recently 
expanded its services to Manhattan and has licensed to provide Home 
Health Care in all five New York City boroughs as well as Westchester 
County.
  This type of wonderful advocacy has all been made possible by Bea, 
whose passion and drive is still to this day the heartbeat of the RAIN 
operation. Her legacy of procuring funding for 1600 meals on wheels, 
325 daily meals to the hungry and homeless, and 11 senior centers is 
truly remarkable, and her life has been a tremendous inspiration to me 
as I serve the public in Congress.
  RAIN celebrated Bea's 98th birthday at their 50th Anniversary 
celebration on October 30th, 2014. I want to personally thank Bea for 
all she has done and all she continues to do for the constituents in my 
district and well beyond. She has created something truly phenomenal 
and should be incredibly proud of the achievement.

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