Mr. Speaker, in honor of National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week, I rise today to recognize the Comitis Crisis Center. Since 1970, Comitis has faithfully served over 100,000 individuals,…
Mr. Speaker, in honor of National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week, I rise today to recognize the Comitis Crisis Center. Since 1970, Comitis has faithfully served over 100,000 individuals, including veterans and their families. Comitis has assisted them with transitional housing, emergency shelter, and taught them the skills they need to become self-sufficient. These services have resulted in permanent and safe housing for many of our fellow Americans.
Comitis Crisis Center's accomplishments in 2017 include serving over 4,000 individuals. The scale of the work Comitis performs is truly impressive. It prepared 138,000 meals, assembled 11,000 hygiene kits, and provided 50,000 overnight beds. Not only does this center give aide to the homeless, it also provides a 24/7 emergency shelter, as well as a variety of programs supporting individuals recovering from addiction, trauma, and mental health issues.
This past year, I introduced H.R. 4099, the ``Homeless Veteran Families Act.'' H.R. 4099 is a bill targeted at combating homelessness for veterans, and their dependent minors and the inspiration for this bill was the great work for homeless veterans with dependent minors that the Comitis Crisis Center does. H.R. 4099 aims to assist community agencies, like the Comitis Crisis Center, expand and better cope with the problems faced by homeless veterans with minor dependents, as well as ensuring them safe shelter during their times of hardship.
Mr. Speaker, during National Homelessness and Hunger Awareness Week, it is my pleasure to honor the Comitis Crisis Center, and its dedicated staff. The Comitis Crisis Center ensures that everyone who walks through its doors is provided with sufficient resources, dignity, and the respect they deserve. I am confident the Comitis Crisis Center will continue as a force for good in our community, as it has done for the past 48 years.
