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“CONGRATULATING FOCUS: HOPE ON RECEIVING THE 2006 EXEMPLARY INTEREST CONTRIBUTION AWARD” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2060 on Nov. 15, 2006.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CONGRATULATING FOCUS: HOPE ON RECEIVING THE 2006 EXEMPLARY INTEREST
CONTRIBUTION AWARD
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HON. JOHN D. DINGELL
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Focus: HOPE and its wonderful team for being selected to receive the 2006 Exemplary Public Interest Contribution Award (EPIC). Focus: HOPE co-founder Eleanor Josaitis is one of my dear friends and one of the most admirable and inspiring women I know. She has put together an outstanding team of motivated, energetic individuals such as Keith Cooley, who recently became Chief Executive Officer.
The EPIC Award is one of the most prestigious honors recognized by the United States government through the Department of Labor, honoring public interest organizations that support equal employment opportunities and have worked with federal contractors to make these opportunities available for minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.
For nearly four decades, Focus: HOPE has been a leading voice for eliminating discrimination and injustice, starting in Southeast Michigan. Following the deadly and violent 1967 Detroit riots, Father William Cunningham and Eleanor Josaitis founded Focus: HOPE, a metropolitan civil and human rights organization committed to
``intelligent and practical action to overcome racism, poverty and injustice.'' The belief is that this goal can be accomplished if the playing field is level and the economic mainstream is accessible to everyone.
Focus: HOPE programs assist individuals from all walks of life in many different ways. Their food distribution program is one of the largest in the nation, serving 43,000 children, mothers and seniors every month. Focus: HOPE career development programs are targeted towards preparing participants for employment in high-demand fields such as engineering and information technology. Since its inception, Focus: HOPE has literally helped thousands of individuals--particularly women and minorities--to become financially independent.
Focus: HOPE is one of the most successful organizations of its kind in this country, and this award is well-deserved. I ask that all of my colleagues join me in congratulating Focus: HOPE on another momentous achievement and in sending the Focus: HOPE team our best wishes for another successful year.
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