[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 15 (Friday, January 24, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E75]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF SOS COMMUNITY SERVICES

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                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 24, 2020

  Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th 
anniversary of SOS Community Services.
  SOS Community Services was founded on the campus of Eastern Michigan 
University in 1970. Seeing a need for drug-related crisis intervention 
in Washtenaw County, student and faculty volunteers came together to 
establish the organization to offer food, shelter, and emergency 
services to their struggling neighbors and peers. As the organization 
grew, SOS Community Services began to take a more central role in 
directing services toward families and individuals with housing 
hardships, establishing numerous assistance programs and opening 
several shelters to help people in need.
  Half a century later, SOS Community Services continues to be an 
important resource for many in the Washtenaw County community. Every 
year, SOS provides assistance and housing services to nearly 7,000 
people and particularly strives to help parents become self-sufficient 
by connecting them with employment opportunities, local resources, and 
stable housing options. Through their comprehensive work in Washtenaw 
County, SOS Community Services has improved our community and 
transformed thousands of lives. Their critical services enable people 
to regain hope, confidence, and dignity.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating 
the 50th anniversary of SOS Community Services. For five decades, SOS 
Community Services has been a valuable resource to many in Washtenaw 
County. The organization's commitment to our community sets an example 
we all should strive to emulate.

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