[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 195 (Friday, December 6, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1553-E1554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   COMMEMORATION OF THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 6, 2019

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to mark an important 
anniversary. Last month, the Daughters of Penelope, an international 
woman's organization and affiliate organization of the American 
Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), celebrated its 
90th anniversary on November 16. Founded in San Francisco, the 
Daughters of Penelope originally worked to improve the status and well-
being of women and their families. They also sought to provide women 
with the opportunity to make significant contributions to their 
communities and country. After successfully achieving many of their 
early goals, the Daughters of Penelope now promote the ideals of 
ancient Greece: philanthropy, education, civic responsibility, and 
family and individual excellence, achieved through community service 
and volunteerism.
  I am a proud Greek-American. As a young boy, my grandparents, 
parents, aunts and uncles instilled in me an appreciation for our 
beautiful Greek culture, which focuses on family, community, and faith. 
As Co-Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues, it is 
with great pride that I see these values shine through the Daughters of 
Penelope today, across all its 250 chapters worldwide. Through the 
exceptional Penelope House in Mobile, Alabama and Penelope's Place in 
Brockton, Massachusetts, the organization vigorously supports efforts 
to combat domestic violence in Greece as well as the United States. The 
development of these shelters brought renewed hope to many areas with 
suffering families who previously did not have access to the same level 
of care.
  As a member on the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce 
Committee, I am impressed with the organization's efforts to provide 
financial support and raise awareness for medical research on 
treatments for breast cancer, Thalassemia (Cooley's anemia), muscular 
dystrophy, and Alzheimer's disease. The Daughters of Penelope are also 
a leading sponsor of the U.S. Department of Housing

[[Page E1554]]

and Urban Development's Section 202 Housing for the Elderly Program, 
which offers affordable housing to senior citizens in Alabama, Indiana, 
Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Texas. Recently, the Daughters of 
Penelope has also demonstrated support for senior nutrition and 
isolation with support for Meals on Wheels of America.
  In addition to helping the elderly, the Daughters of Penelope 
Foundation, Inc., supports the educational objectives of the Daughters 
of Penelope by providing tens of thousands of dollars annually for 
scholarships, sponsoring educational seminars, and donating children's 
books to schools, shelters and churches through the ``Penelope's 
Books'' program. After ninety meaningful and productive years, it 
excites me to see what the Daughters of Penelope will accomplish and 
how they will help our country and our culture in the next ninety 
years.

                          ____________________