[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 176 (Tuesday, November 5, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IN RECOGNITION OF REVEREND JOE COLAIZZI

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 5, 2019

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Reverend Joseph 
Colaizzi's thirty-five years of dedicated service to the Kansas City 
Rescue Mission (KCRM). As the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth 
Congressional District, it brings me great joy to honor a lifelong 
community advocate and the indelible mark he has left on the community.
  Rev. Joe Colaizzi was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He later 
moved to Ohio where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the 
University of Cincinnati before joining the production team for the 
timeless series that captivated the hearts of so many--Mr. Roger's 
Neighborhood. Rev. Colaizzi went on to become the Director of 
Instructional Television at Carnegie Mellon University. While at 
Carnegie Mellon, Rev. Colaizzi had a life-changing encounter with his 
faith. Eventually, Rev. Colaizzi found shelter at Lamb's Manhattan 
Church of the Nazarene, where he subsequently served the homeless for 
seven years as a ministry team member and eventually Associate Pastor. 
It was also at Lamb's Manhattan Church of the Nazarene where Rev. 
Colaizzi met and married his loving wife Marilyn.
  In 1983, the Colaizzi family moved to Kansas City and planted roots, 
allowing Joseph to pursue his Master of Divinity degree from Nazarene 
Theological Seminary while volunteering at the Kansas City Rescue 
Mission. The seeds Reverend Colaizzi planted for his life began to 
flourish as he assumed his role as the Executive Director of Kansas 
City Rescue Mission. For Rev. Colaizzi, success has always been 
measured by the joy brought to him by selflessly serving others and 
working tirelessly to build a more equitable, inclusive, and unified 
community for all.
  KCRM was established in 1950 with a mission to serve people in need, 
opening their doors to the poor, homeless, hungry, and hurting. Focused 
on serving marginalized communities with dignity, KCRM offers 
individuals a multitude of services, including case management, 
recovery programs, job and life skills through educational services, 
and the opportunity to participate in their social enterprise program. 
Regardless of an individual's current situation, KCRM empowers clients 
to overcome their obstacles in their life and gives them hope for a 
brighter future and the tools to achieve it.
  Under Rev. Colaizzi's stewardship, Kansas City Rescue Mission has 
grown from one employee to sixty, increasing the organization's 
capacity to broaden their reach and presence in the community. The 
Kansas City Rescue Mission Men's Center, which once provided only 
emergency shelter, meals, and chapel services for thirty homeless men a 
day, now serves up to 140 men daily and provides additional services, 
including residential addiction recover, health care, and counseling, 
just to name a few.
  Rev. Colaizzi's passion to serve others is further evidenced by his 
initiation of the Reaching Up, Moving Forward campaign in 2011 that 
funded the establishment of the Kansas City Rescue Mission Women's 
Center. This twenty-bed facility opened July 15, 2013 and provides 
residential recovery, counseling, therapy, and case management services 
for single, homeless women, many with co-occurring disorders.
  To this day, Reverend Joseph Colaizzi remains an active, integral 
member of the community and consistently directs his efforts towards 
the betterment of people's lives in and around Kansas City. Rev. 
Colaizzi's leadership and advocacy is unparalleled and inspiring.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring thirty-five years of 
dedicated service to the community by Reverend Joseph Colaizzi through 
his ministry and direction at the Kansas City Rescue Mission. Let us 
honor the profound legacy of Rev. Colaizzi and the impact he has made 
through his benevolent spirit and passion to serve.