[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 171 (Wednesday, November 30, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                          HONORING TOM WILSON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 30, 2016

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Tom Wilson 
as he retires as executive director of the Canal Alliance after 24 
years of service. Under Mr. Wilson's leadership, the Canal Alliance has 
added numerous programs and services, added more than 30 employees, and 
has maintained four county contracts and 400 active volunteers a year. 
He has expanded the organization's budget from $350,000 to $3.8 million 
today, helping to reach more residents in need.
   Mr. Wilson has been instrumental in developing an organization that 
touches the lives of more than 3,500 people per year with educational, 
vocational, and legal services, as well as family support. The Canal 
Alliance helps to provide supplemental food distribution to 400 
families every week and English as a second language instruction to 
1,200 adults per year. After Immigration and Custom Enforcement 
officers conducted raids in the community, the Canal Alliance began 
talks with the Marin County Human Rights Commission, city and county 
officials, and ICE--conversations that ultimately helped stop the 
immigration raids.
   As a result of the cutting-edge work done by Canal Alliance, the 
organization has been honored with the 2013 North Bay Leadership 
Council Award for empowering the Latino Community, the Heart of Marin 
Award for Achievement in Nonprofit Excellence, the Marin Community 
Foundation's Beryl Buck Achievement Award for Promoting Diversity and 
Inclusiveness, the Tipping Point Community Award, the U.S. Mayors' End 
Hunger Award, among others.
   In addition to these recognitions, Tom Wilson has been awarded both 
the Benjamin Dreyfus Civil Liberties Award by the ACLU, and the Martin 
Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award by the Marin County Human Rights 
Commission.
   Tom Wilson's legacy is one of dedicated service to the children and 
families of San Rafael. Please join me in congratulating him on his 
retirement and expressing our deep appreciation for his long and 
exceptional career and outstanding contributions to the Canal Alliance.

                          ____________________