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“SISTERHOOD HUMANITARIAN AWARDS RECIPIENTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E511 on March 9, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED COMMUNITIES OF SAN ANTONIO, INC.'S BROTHERHOOD/
SISTERHOOD HUMANITARIAN AWARDS RECIPIENTS
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HON. CHARLES A. GONZALEZ
of texas
in the house of representatives
Friday, March 9, 2007
Mr. GONZALEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the United Communities of San Antonio, Inc., and the USCA Humanitarian Awards and Lifetime Humanitarian Award recipients, on the occasion of the celebration of their 53rd Brotherhood/Sisterhood Awards Dinner on March 8, 2007.
The mission of the United Communities of San Antonio, Inc. (USCA) is to create safe and inclusive communities, particularly among our young people, by promoting understanding and respect among all races, religions and cultures through dialogue, education and awareness. This year's USCA Humanitarian Award recipients and Lifetime Humanitarian Award recipient embody the goals of USCA with their numerous civic and professional contributions to the San Antonio community. They are all well known and respected members of their community known for their personal and professional integrity. They are committed to such democratic values as equality of opportunity, tolerance and human rights, values which form the basis for any diverse community. It is for these achievements that I rise today to honor these outstanding members of the San Antonio community.
USCA Humanitarian Award recipient Charlie Amato is the chairman and co-founder of Southwest Business Corporation (SWBC), a recognized leader in the financial services industry. Mr. Amato's civic involvement recognizes the importance of giving back to the community where he has prospered, and he is an active participant in various charities and corporate leadership activities. His community service achievements include serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Christus Santa Rosa Health Care Corp., Board Member of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and Executive Committee Member of the United Way. Mr. Amato has also been recognized by the Arthritis Foundation as a ``Humanitarian of the Year'' (2002) and the San Antonio Business Journal as ``One of the Most Influential San Antonians''
(2004). He has also been inducted in the San Antonio Business Hall of Fame (2005) and most recently the College of Business Hall of Honor--
Sam Houston State University (2006).
USCA Humanitarian Award recipient J. Russell Davis is a founding member and chief executive officer of Davis, Cedillo & Mendoza, Inc., a law firm with a diversified practice. Mr. Davis has distinguished himself through his deep commitment and involvement in the San Antonio community. He has served on the board of directors of such organizations as the Community Guidance Center, the Barshop Jewish Community Center, the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the Southwest Texas Public Broadcasting Corporation. His unwavering dedication as a community leader is reflected in his work as the first president of the campus of the San Antonio Jewish Community and as director and later chairman of the Holocaust Memorial of San Antonio. Mr. Davis has also served as director and later president of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio.
USCA Humanitarian Award recipient Aaronetta Hamilton Pierce is president of Premier Artworks, Inc., a company which promotes African-
American artists throughout the country in public exhibits, museums, corporations, government buildings, businesses and homes. Mrs. Pierce has distinguished herself through her extraordinary work as an advocate for multi-cultural education and artistic development. In 1985, she became the first African-American woman appointed to the Texas Commission on the Arts. She was also a founding chair of the San Antonio Martin Luther King Jr. Commission. Mrs. Pierce's leadership achievements include serving on the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees for United Way of San Antonio, the University of Texas San Antonio--Development Board and the Texas Cultural Trust Council. Mrs. Pierce has also been inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame
(1984) and the Texas Women's Hall of Fame (1993).
USCA Lifetime Humanitarian Award recipient Jimmy Toubin is president of Toubin Insurance Company, but his real work is as a distinguished civil leader and a passionate advocate for San Antonio's hungry. Mr. Toubin's notable civic involvement has earned him much deserved recognition. He has been named ``Outstanding Young Man of the Year'' by El Campo, TX Jaycees and was nominated for the Governor's Award for outstanding achievement in the volunteer community in 2001. His community service portfolio includes serving on the board of trustees for Temple Beth-El for 6 years, on the board of the Jewish Federation for 8 years and currently as Vice-President and membership Chairman of Temple Chai Congregation. He also served for 10 years on the United Way of San Antonio review and allocation panel. In recognition of his past service as both a board member and chairman for 2 years, the Board of the Alamo Area Council of Governments Bexar County Agency on Aging elected Mr. Toubin as Emeritus member of the board.
Mr. Toubin's true achievement has been as a tireless advocate against hunger. He is a longtime member and past-president of the San Antonio Food Bank's board of directors. In 2001, it was through his tenacious work to rally Congress and the Department of Agriculture to make available peanut crops to make peanut butter for nonprofit organizations who work with low-income populations. Mr. Toubin also worked as the chairman of the fundraising committee for the San Antonio Food Bank's capital campaign which went on to raise $8.5 million over the course of 2 years for a new warehouse facility. His determination to help the San Antonio Food Bank meet its goals is evident in his work to identify members of the community who could help aid in this effort. Jimmy also helped organize the San Antonio Food Bank's Second Serving Program which makes use of excess prepared foods from hotels, restaurants, and caterers and directly delivers it to agencies that serve hot meals. He has embraced his role of helping San Antonio's hungry so profoundly that Jimmy, like other board members, would sometimes take a hands-on role; he could be found out on a truck with a driver or gleaning in a south Texas field. Jimmy is a person who believes in change and knows what it takes to actually make those changes happen through advocacy and legislative work, and the power of long-term policy efforts.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the United Communities of San Antonio, Inc., as it celebrates and honors the outstanding contributions to the San Antonio community of all of its 2007 Humanitarian Award recipients. Their dedication to the community is remarkable and I wish them all continued success in all their future endeavors.
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