[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8803]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO REVEREND BONITA GRUBBS

 Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Reverend 
Bonita Grubbs, a community leader who has given so faithfully and 
generously to New Haven and Connecticut. Reverend Grubbs has been 
recently awarded the 11th Annual Reverend Howard Nash Community 
Leadership Award by Community Mediation, CM, an extraordinary 
organization that helps individuals and organizations resolve conflict 
through mediation and dialogue.
  Since 1988, Reverend Grubbs has served as Executive Director of 
Christian Community Action, CCA, leading a set of well-established and 
crucial programs and social services for the poor and under-privileged 
in the Greater-New Haven area. CCA prides itself on providing emergency 
solutions with the underlying intention of proactive education for 
long-term sustainability and self-sufficiency. In addition to offering 
emergency services, CAA also runs education, housing, food, mentorship, 
after-school, and youth summer programs.
  However, this role is only one dimension of Reverend Grubbs' 
contributions to her community. She is a champion of social justice, 
conscious of laying the foundations of sustainable lifestyles that will 
last for future generations. Reverend Grubbs has made tremendous impact 
through the Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund and as President of 
the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, Co-Chair and member of 
the Steering Committee of New Haven's Fighting Back Project, columnist 
for the New Haven Register, Board of Trustee for the Hospital of St. 
Raphael, and Board Member for both Connecticut Voices for Children and 
Connecticut Center for School Change.
  Very appropriately, Reverend Grubbs has been given an award named 
after Reverend Howard Nash, who was renowned in New Haven as an 
omnipresent peacemaker and founder of the Dialogue Project--an 
interfaith effort by CM and Interfaith Cooperative Ministries, ICM. 
Although ordained within the American Baptist Church, Reverend Grubbs' 
public service transcends religion and race.
  In addition to this most recent honor, she has been lauded by several 
community organizations, receiving the Public Citizen Award from the 
Connecticut Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, the 
Consultation Center's Prevention Award, the Women Who Make a Difference 
Award by the Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund, and the 
Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund's Good Egg Award.
  Reverend Grubbs' generous spirit and loving care for her community 
make her a role model for all. I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in 
thanking Reverend Grubbs for her contributions to humanity.

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