[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 82 (Thursday, May 11, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E623]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF ORCHARDS CHILDRENS' SERVICES ON ITS 55TH ANNIVERSARY

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                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 11, 2017

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Orchards 
Childrens' Services as it celebrates its 55th anniversary. Orchards 
provides critical adoption, foster parenting and family preservation 
services throughout southeast Michigan.
  Founded in 1962 by the Greater Detroit Section of the National 
Council of Jewish Women, Orchards Children's Services provides 
comprehensive services and supports to vulnerable children in the 
southeast Michigan community. The organization recruits, trains and 
licenses foster parents to provide care for children in need of these 
services. Additionally, Orchards facilitates adoptions and runs several 
Post Adoption Resource Centers to ensure that these children and their 
adoptive families receive the support and resources to help make the 
transition a success. The organization also maintains a scholarship 
fund to help Orchards foster children afford a college education. 
Orchards' Promise Scholarships provide critical financial support to 
help these children achieve success in college, and every child who 
receives an Orchard Promise scholarship has achieved at least a 3.0 GPA 
at a Michigan University.
  Orchards Children's Services has played a key role in providing 
resources and support to vulnerable children in the southeast Michigan 
community. Since the organization began its adoption program in 1986, 
it has helped place over 3,000 children with adoptive families. It also 
serves over 5,000 children through its family preservation programs, 
which provide assistance like household organization and other skills 
training to help stabilize families and keep them together. 
Collectively, these initiatives have helped empower children in need to 
reach their potential and provide them resources for success later in 
life, and I am confident that Orchards will continue its excellent work 
in the coming years.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Orchards 
Childrens' Services on their 55th anniversary for their work on behalf 
of Michigan's children. Orchards' programs have helped support 
vulnerable children in southeast Michigan.

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