In Recognition of the Eigth Avenue Senior Center's 11th Anniversary Celebration

IN RECOGNITION OF THE EIGHTH AVENUE SENIOR CENTER'S 11TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION -- (Extensions of Remarks - October 04, 2004)

Ms. VELÁZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize the 11th anniversary of the Brooklyn Chinese American Association's Eighth Avenue Senior Center.

The Eighth Avenue Senior Center is part of the Brooklyn Chinese-American Association (BCA), which has been serving the growing Asian-American population in the Sunset Park, Borough Park, and Bay Ridge communities of Brooklyn for the past 17 years, as a human services and community development organization.

Today, the BCA's Eighth Avenue Senior Center touches the lives of over 3,000 elderly residents in the area, and offers services to over 250 seniors on a daily basis. The center provides older Asian-Americans with a variety of enriching educational programs and recreational activities.

Over the past 11 years, the Eighth Avenue Senior Center has integrated a variety of services integral to this elderly population, which it otherwise would not have had access to. This includes providing meals, bilingual information, English and citizenship classes, health services, and housing assistance.

This center also plays an important role in coordinating town hall meetings, assisting senior members in meeting their housing needs, and educating the community on the importance of exercising their voting rights. Because of these services, the Eighth Avenue Senior Center creates a sense of community and enhancement for the elderly population living in Brooklyn.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 11th anniversary of the Eighth Avenue Senior Center, and join with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to recognize their outstanding service to the elderly Asian-American population in Brooklyn.