Honoring National Family Week, November 19-25, 2006

HONORING NATIONAL FAMILY WEEK, NOVEMBER 19-25, 2006 -- (Extensions of Remarks - November 15, 2006)

* Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Honor National Family Week. National Family Week takes place November 19th through November 25th. This event is sponsored by the Alliance for Children and Families. The Alliance for Children and Families represents an impressive group of advocates who have a tremendous effect on our children and families. National Family Week reflects a commitment to ensuring healthy, stable communities--communities where families that have the resources, affordable housing and the social networks they need to thrive and where children have the quality education, child care, and the health care they need to grow into our leaders of tomorrow.

* The Alliance for Children and Families represents several vital organizations in Chicago. There are fifteen Alliance members who work in the heart of Chicago. Included in this group of advocates are: Casa Central; Centers for New Horizons, Inc.; Chicago Children's Advocacy Center; Child Care Association of Illinois; Children's Home and Aid Society of Illinois; ChildServ; Generations of Success; Jane Addams Hull House; Jewish Child and Family Services; Kids Hope United; Lawrence Hall Youth Services; Methodist Youth Services, Inc.; Metropolitan Family Services; and Salvation Army Family Services. I am grateful for each of them and all the wonderful work that they do. Specifically I would like to recognize the Jane Addams Hull House, which recently received a $3 million dollar grant from the Department of Education for its Early Reading First program. This grant illustrates the outstanding work that the three-hundred member organizations of the Alliance for Children and Families do for our citizens. I recognize and understand the importance of groups like the Jane Addams Hull House that provide important services to communities. I also want to recognize the efforts of the numerous other organizations in the Seventh District of Illinois that are not members of the Alliance but who are committed to the betterment of child welfare and well-being. These organizations work hard to teach our children, advocate on behalf of families everywhere, and provide necessary services to help strengthen communities.

* As George Bernard Shaw once said, ``Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered by anybody to this country and to mankind is to bring up a family.'' The Alliance for Children and Family and their three hundred members help families and communities successfully achieve the greatest social service by providing the tools necessary to ensure healthy and stable communities. It is my great honor to recognize National Family Week, the Alliance for Children and Families, and all that they do to ensure the success of our nation's children and families.

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