[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 153 (Monday, September 25, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1257-E1258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE SARAH FOUNDATION ON THE CELEBRATION OF ITS 60TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 25, 2017

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today to 
extend my deepest thanks and heartfelt congratulations to the SARAH 
Foundation of Guilford, Connecticut as they celebrate their 60th 
Anniversary--a remarkable milestone for this very special organization.
  Families with loved ones with developmental disabilities have always 
struggled to find the appropriate care. Indeed, throughout much of our 
history, there were little to no resources to address their needs. In 
the 1950s, families had only two choices--remain at home without 
support or services, often isolating both the caregivers and their 
loved ones, or send their loved one to an institution, often far from 
home and thus isolating those with disabilities from their families and 
communities.
  Recognizing this struggle and understanding the challenges families 
were facing, Dan and Eleanor Reinhardsen, Reeves and Dorothy Spencer, 
and William and Regina McNeil, pooled their resources to establish a 
school for children with intellectual disabilities--and SARAH was born. 
The Reinhardsens, Spencers, and McNeils, along with other shoreline 
families, worked diligently to raise funds for teachers, transportation 
and speech therapists. They moved from borrowed space in a church 
basement to a schoolhouse in North Guilford, the programs and services 
offered at SARAH met the academic and social needs of its students 
until the introduction of special education legislation providing for 
inclusion of children of all abilities in school districts.
  With education needs being met by school districts, there came a new 
mission for SARAH and they refocused their efforts to expand their 
services to include vocational training, job placement, and independent 
living to ease the transition from school to life in the community. The 
Apple Doll Tea House, the first food service training program for 
people with disabilities in the nation, opened its doors in Guilford in 
1973. Along with the Tea House, the Apple Farm Bakery, Greenhouse 
horticulture program, and others provided choices

[[Page E1258]]

in vocational employment, interaction with the public, and a close 
connection with communities. Today, SARAH works with businesses 
throughout the region, enabling hundreds of men and women to find 
steady, meaningful employment and build a sense of self-esteem. SARAH's 
first community residence was opened in Branford in 1977. Soon more 
homes were added in other communities as well as residences for 
individuals with multiple disabilities. The organization's commitment 
to providing a warm, nurturing environment and personalized residential 
care have made it a model for other agencies in Connecticut and across 
the country.
  Built from love and compassion, SARAH is an extraordinary 
organization that has and continues to have the most positive of 
impacts on the lives of those with disabilities and their families. 
Today, as they mark their 60th Anniversary, I am honored to offer my 
heartfelt congratulations and sincere thanks and appreciation for their 
invaluable contributions to our community, our state, and our nation.

                          ____________________