[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 101 (Tuesday, June 14, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E619]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





 HONORING THE GIRL FRIENDS, INC.--NEW HAVEN CHAPTER ON THE CELEBRATION 
                       OF THEIR 90TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 14, 2022

  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today 
to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the New Haven Chapter of Girl 
Friends, Inc. as they celebrate their 90th Anniversary at their annual 
Kentucky Derby Luncheon. The oldest African American female service 
organization in New Haven, the New Haven Girl Friends is a unique 
organization within our community.
  Chartered just five years after the national organization, the New 
Haven Girl Friends have been a center of service and community for 
African American women in our community. Their work to promote 
friendship, social interaction, charitable and cultural activities has 
enriched our community and the lives of its residents. From their 
success in housing all visiting members at the organization's 1942 
Conclave and integrating the Taft Hotel in downtown New Haven to their 
generous support of projects like the Smithsonian National Museum of 
African American History and Culture as well as the NAACP and The Girl 
Friends Fund Scholarship program, the New Haven Girl Friends have left 
an indelible mark on our community.
  Each year on the weekend of the Kentucky Derby, members gather in 
fellowship to raise funds for scholarships that are awarded annually to 
students throughout Greater New Haven and Hartford as well as to 
benefit local community-based programs, the nonprofit Girl Friends Fund 
Foundation and other initiatives of the New Haven Chapter. Their 
mission has been to actively engage the community and their goals are 
rooted in the understanding that our communities thrive when every 
member contributes to its success. The members of the New Haven Girl 
Friends include some of our communities most prominent social 
advocates--many of whom dedicate both their professional and personal 
lives to public service. These women stand as role models for us all, 
but particularly for our young people. They inspire us with their deep 
commitment to community and compassion for others.
  It is my great honor to rise today to extend my sincere thanks and 
appreciation to the members of the New Haven Chapter of Girl Friends, 
Inc. for their innumerable and invaluable contributions to our 
community. It is my honor to congratulate you on your 90th Anniversary 
and, as we say in Italian, C'ent Anni--to another hundred years.

                          ____________________