[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 25, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3531-S3532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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TRIBUTE TO LYNETTE KAICHEN
Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Lynette
Kaichen of Effingham as June's Granite Stater of the Month. Lynette
founded an organization that provides clothing to children being placed
in emergency foster care.
Ten years ago, Lynette and her husband became foster parents for
children in emergency cases. In an emergency removal, kids going into
foster care have little time to pack a bag with personal items or
clothes, which means that most kids show up to their foster home with
nothing of their own. Lynette was frustrated by the lack of support for
these children, who are already going through a traumatic experience
and have often lost everything, and by the fact that they have to move
into a new and unfamiliar situation without any possessions. She knew
that emergency foster parents would likely have some toiletries and
toys or books ready, but the main problem that she ran into was not
being able to plan ahead and have the correct size of clothing on hand.
Lynette realized that if an organization could have every size of
clothing ready ahead of time, every child in a foster home could have
the clothes that they need.
Lynette decided to take action. She started The Pass Along Project
from her kitchen table, putting together kits full of over a week's
worth of clothing and shoes in every possible size from newborn to
adult, ready to be delivered on short notice to a foster parent giving
a child a home. Over the past 8 years, the organization has grown to
include a warehouse in Pembroke, and The Pass Along Project now serves
more than 500 children across New Hampshire each year. Lynette's goal
is to be able to provide kits for all children in our State in foster
care and also those who have entered the care of their relatives under
similar circumstances.
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Lynette's dedication to supporting to children that are going through
a difficult time is an outstanding example of the Granite State spirit
of stepping up to help those in need. Her compassion and attentiveness
to children entering foster care is why I am proud to name her June's
Granite Stater of the Month.
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