[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 145 (Friday, September 9, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE GEORGE L. ALTAMURA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 9, 2022

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 
Hands Across the Valley President and Founder, George Altamura, upon 
the creation of the George L. Altamura Endowment. Mr. Altamura has 
dedicated his life to serving others, choosing to focus on preventing 
his fellow citizens from going hungry by creating programs that offer 
food resources.
  Mr. Altamura was born in 1934 in Buffalo, New York, and came to live 
in the Napa Valley in the 1940s. He began a successful career in real 
estate after owning both a dry-cleaning business and a restaurant. 
Community service became a priority in Mr. Altamura's life, starting 
largely with food insecurity prevention.
  This all started with the cancellation of an annual food fundraising 
event. Mr. Altamura acted quickly in inviting Francis Coppola, Johnny 
Miller, Steve Young, and me to help him serve food at his restaurant, 
in the Napa Valley, instead. Our team was able to serve over 300 people 
and raise more than $30,000, making Mr. Altamura's efforts profoundly 
successful.
  This event inspired Mr. Altamura, along with other leaders in our 
community, to come together ``to do something about the hunger in Napa 
Valley.'' Learning that hundreds of people in Napa County went hungry 
on a daily basis, Mr. Altamura founded Hands Across the Valley, an 
annual event which raises funds for the Napa Valley Food Bank, Meals on 
Wheels, the Salvation Army, and The Table.
  Since its founding in 1994, Hands Across the Valley has raised over 
$2 million to help benefit Napa Valley's Safety Net Food programs. In 
addition to providing much needed funding to these services, Hands 
Across the Valley helps the Food Bank, Catholic Charities, The Table 
and American Canyon Family Resource Center provide holiday turkeys and 
food baskets each year.
  In honor of over 30 years of service, Hands Across the Valley has 
established the George L. Altamura Endowment to permanently aid in the 
fight against hunger in Napa Valley. The Endowment will supply safety 
net food programs in Napa Valley with long-term financial support.
  Madam Speaker, it is evident that Mr. Altamura has worked endlessly 
to help the fight against hunger in our community. Therefore, it is 
fitting and proper that we honor him here today.

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