Cycling for Hope the Mission

Floor Speech

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Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, over the past 8 weeks, my friends, Ken and Rowan, have peddled 3,500 miles across this country to address the national homeless crisis and to raise funds to provide homes.

Founded 15 years ago in the San Fernando Valley, Hope the Mission has grown to become the largest rescue mission in the country, operating 23 interim housing shelters with 2,700 beds and serving over 3 million meals annually.

Hope will be adding 11 new projects in 2025, including five permanent supportive housing sites. I might point out that they are able to provide these housing sites at less than a quarter of the cost done by local government in the Los Angeles area.

Hope works to treat the unique needs of the housing insecure, operating shelter sites for families and for other victims of domestic violence, offering mental health services as well as shelter.

Ken and Rowan have put their bodies on the line more than once, not only bicycling across the country, but they also lived for 4 days on the streets. They also lived for 4 days in a car, and they previously ran to Las Vegas from Los Angeles.

I look forward to continuing to support Hope's efforts. I hope my colleagues, particularly in the Los Angeles area, do so as well. I am pleased to have secured $2 million for them for homeless services, another $2 million for mental health services, and just this year almost a million to provide modular affordable housing.

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