[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16772]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CELEBRATING FISH AND LOAVES COMMUNITY PANTRY'S MILLIONTH POUND SERVED

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                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 25, 2009

  Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge, honor, and 
celebrate the Fish and Loaves Community Pantry for serving its one 
millionth pound of food to people in need from across the Downriver 
area. Since its opening in 2007, Fish and Loaves continues to 
collaborate with churches, food banks, and hundreds of volunteers to 
provide cost-free, quality groceries to thousands of families and 
individuals.
  Tough economic times have made acquiring even basic necessities 
difficult for many residents of Southeastern Michigan. Many of the 
people that Fish and Loaves serve are below the poverty line, lack 
medical coverage, and struggle to pay for essential services.
  The organizers of the Fish and Loaves Community Pantry recognized 
this and, in response, churches and volunteers joined together in 
remarkable collaboration to construct a special kind of food pantry. 
The facility, located in Taylor, is arranged as a small grocery store 
in which individuals may select the items they need most, which include 
quality products like fresh produce, dairy products, frozen meat, and 
perishable items. Of course, everything is still provided at no cost to 
the client. The pantry serves the residents of Taylor, Romulus, Allen 
Park, Southgate, Dearborn Heights, and Brownstown.
  Fish and Loaves provides assistance to those in need with both 
efficiency and dignity by providing a wide variety of foods and 
household products from which to choose. The hard work and dedication 
of the Board and volunteers is the source of its great success and 
support it gives to the thousands of individuals and families it helps 
to feed.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that all of my colleagues join me in honoring 
the Fish and Loaves Community Food Pantry on its millionth pound of 
food served. It is an exemplary organization that continues to be an 
invaluable member of the Southeastern Michigan community and for which 
I, and thousands others, are truly grateful.

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