[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15478-15479]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MODEL CITIES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 3, 2017

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 50th Anniversary 
of Model Cities, a provider of essential community services for low-
income residents in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Born to meet a growing need 
for high-quality health care for low-income residents in the capital 
city's historic, predominantly African American Rondo neighborhood, 
Model Cities has grown and evolved over the past five decades into a 
dynamic development organization focused on fully integrating human 
services while working to improve economic conditions for all.
  Model Cities has led the way adapting as necessary to address 
changing community challenges. From its beginning in the basement of 
St. James AME Church, the organization broke through barriers to 
improve the lives of people coming through its doors. Early leaders 
like Mary Stokes, an African American nurse, who served as the center's 
first coordinator of volunteer medical and dental services, helped set 
the standard of care and outreach to the community. Mrs. Timothy O. 
Vann, another trailblazing African American woman and a graduate of the 
University of Minnesota, became the first project director in 1971. 
Upon her retirement, Dr. Beverley Oliver Hawkins became the new 
Executive Director in 1984 and continues to lead Model Cities.
  Today, Model Cities looks a little different than it did at the 
beginning. As part of its evolution to meet the needs of the community, 
the health center became a separate organization and in 2003, changed 
its name to Open Cities Health Center. Model Cities continues to 
deliver a broad range of critical community services that strengthen 
our community: culturally competent family support services, youth 
program services, homebuyer education and community-based development. 
One of the community development efforts that is currently taking 
shape, Business Revitalization and Ownership for a Working Neighborhood 
(BROWNstone), aims to revitalize an area in Saint Paul's Frogtown 
neighborhood along University Avenue and Metro Green Line Light Rail 
Transit, while also adding 35 units of affordable rental housing, as 
well as retail, office, and community space.
  For 50 years, Model Cities has been a vital partner in our community, 
lifting up families

[[Page 15479]]

and individuals in need to access opportunities to improve their lives. 
As Model Cities commemorates this 50th anniversary year, please join me 
in recognizing the selfless contributions of the staff and volunteers 
who have delivered these vital services for our community.

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