[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 10 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E23]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE SERVICE OF JOHN PARVENSKY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 12, 2023

  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John Parvensky.
  John has dedicated his life to helping others and, after 37 years as 
the head of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, there is no doubt 
that John has done exactly that.
  John first moved to Denver in 1984 after graduating law school to 
begin a career helping nonprofit organizations. It didn't take long, 
though, for John to realize he had another calling in life. And just 1 
year after his arrival in the Mile High City, John set out on a mission 
to provide real help to those experiencing homelessness throughout the 
city.
  He arrived at the perfect time. It was at just that moment that then-
Denver Mayor Federico Pena was putting together a task force to tackle 
homelessness. Out of that task force came the Colorado Coalition for 
the Homeless.
  What John thought would be a temporary assignment has turned into a 
lifelong passion, and the coalition he started has become a permanent 
fixture in the state.
  Thanks to John's tireless work, Colorado's Coalition for the Homeless 
has grown from a group of 6 people to an organization that now employs 
more than 750 people across the state. Its budget has grown from 
$100,000 to more than $10 million a year. And, with John at the helm, 
the organization that started as a single health care center now serves 
over 22,000 people every year.
  John's leadership and advocacy on behalf of those experiencing 
homelessness, both in Denver and across the U.S., has led to the 
development of countless new ideas and innovative strategies that are 
now being used in cities and towns across the country to help those in 
need.
  John was instrumental in creating the Denver Housing First 
Collaborative that provides housing and supportive services to more 
than 200 people with disabilities experiencing homelessness. And he was 
the driving force behind the development of Denver's new state-of-the-
art Stout Street Recuperative Care Center--a first-of-its kind mixed-
use development intended to provide medical respite and recuperative 
care to hundreds of people experiencing homelessness every year after 
they are released from the hospital.
  John's efforts have been widely recognized throughout his career. He 
currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the 
National Coalition for the Homeless; and he has been the recipient of 
numerous awards to highlight his many achievements in his quest to help 
others--including the 2018 Philip W. Brickner National Leadership Award 
from the National Healthcare for the Homeless; the 2016 Carle Whitehead 
Memorial Award from ACLU of Colorado; and the 2012 Be More Award from 
Rocky Mountain PBS.
  After more than 35 years as the head of Colorado's Coalition for the 
Homeless, John announced that this summer will be his last running the 
organization. As he prepares to begin the next chapter of his life, I 
want to express my profound thanks to him for his tireless advocacy on 
behalf of those experiencing homelessness and the outstanding work he's 
done over the years to improve the lives of so many people who call our 
city home.
  I offer my best wishes on his well-deserved retirement.

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