[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13420]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            FAITH IN ACTION

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, in the 21st century, advances in 
medicine are allowing Americans to live longer than ever before. Today, 
the average American will live to be over 76 years old. As the 
collective age of society increases, so does the need for increased 
help, care, and support, as long-term illnesses and the frailties of 
age become the rule, not the exception. Faith in Action volunteers play 
a crucial role in ensuring that help is there for neighbors in need.
  Faith in Action is a nationwide, interfaith coalition that works to 
help people with long-term health needs or disabilities maintain their 
independence by providing assistance with daily activities. Funded by 
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Faith in Action boasts 100,000 
nationwide volunteers serving over 200,000 care recipients.
  Through Faith in Action, Americans of every faith--including 
Catholics, Protestants, Hindus, Jews and Muslims--work together to 
improve the lives of their neighbors in need. Faith in Action 
volunteers help others maintain their independence by doing simple 
things: watering flowers, shopping for groceries, taking people to the 
doctor, and simply listening. Sometimes they open doors that people 
can't open on their own.
  In my home State of Iowa, over 2,100 dedicated volunteers work in 
local programs to contribute approximately 315,000 volunteer hours per 
year--a service valued at nearly $5.2 million.
  But the value of Faith in Action is measured not by dollars and 
cents. Nor is the value measured by the number of volunteers, or the 
number of hours donated. The real value of Faith in Action is measured 
by the warm smiles of gratitude that line the faces of those whose 
lives have been enriched by the kind touch of a stranger.
  Fred Jones is a man who knows firsthand the value of Faith in Action. 
Fred lives with his wife in the rural farmhouse where he was born, on 
the outskirts of Parnell, IA. Fred is, by any measure, a big man--
standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing over 200 pounds. Twelve 
years ago, Fred had a major stroke--a stroke that left half of his body 
paralyzed, and left Fred confined to a wheelchair in a home not built 
with wheelchairs in mind.
  After the stroke, Fred's wife did not want to put him in a care 
facility and dreaded the thought of leaving the home where he was born. 
So at 76 years old and without any help, Mrs. Jones assumed the burden 
of lifting Fred up and down the 6-inch step from the front door of 
their home to the sidewalk below.
  When Faith in Action was notified of the situation, the dedicated 
staff found resources to pay for the materials and a volunteer to 
install a wheelchair ramp for the elderly couple. Now Mrs. Jones is 
able to maneuver her husband in and out of their home with ease. Fred 
can now go to church, enjoy the sunshine, and watch his grandchildren 
play.
  As an Iowan and a Member of Congress, I greatly appreciate the 
selfless acts of charity done by Faith in Action volunteers and I look 
forward to even greater accomplishments in the years to come.

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