[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22115]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING FOCUS: HOPE ON RECEIVING THE 2006 EXEMPLARY INTEREST 
                           CONTRIBUTION AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 15, 2006

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Focus: HOPE 
and its wonderful team for being selected to receive the 2006 Exemplary 
Public Interest Contribution Award (EPIC). Focus: HOPE co-founder 
Eleanor Josaitis is one of my dear friends and one of the most 
admirable and inspiring women I know. She has put together an 
outstanding team of motivated, energetic individuals such as Keith 
Cooley, who recently became Chief Executive Officer.
  The EPIC Award is one of the most prestigious honors recognized by 
the United States Government through the Department of Labor, honoring 
public interest organizations that support equal employment 
opportunities and have worked with federal contractors to make these 
opportunities available for minorities, women, individuals with 
disabilities, and veterans.
  For nearly four decades, Focus: HOPE has been a leading voice for 
eliminating discrimination and injustice, starting in southeast 
Michigan. Following the deadly and violent 1967 Detroit riots, Father 
William Cunningham and Eleanor Josaitis founded Focus: HOPE, a 
metropolitan civil and human rights organization committed to 
``intelligent and practical action to overcome racism, poverty and 
injustice.'' The belief is that this goal can be accomplished if the 
playing field is level and the economic mainstream is accessible to 
everyone.
  Focus: HOPE programs assist individuals from all walks of life in 
many different ways. Their food distribution program is one of the 
largest in the Nation, serving 43,000 children, mothers and seniors 
every month. Focus: HOPE career development programs are targeted 
towards preparing participants for employment in high-demand fields 
such as engineering and information technology. Since its inception, 
Focus: HOPE has literally helped thousands of individuals--particularly 
women and minorities--to become financially independent.
  Focus: HOPE is one of the most successful organizations of its kind 
in this country, and this award is well-deserved. I ask that all of my 
colleagues join me in congratulating Focus: HOPE on another momentous 
achievement and in sending the Focus: HOPE team our best wishes for 
another successful year.

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