This week I presented the second ever Congressional Award of Distinction to Mary Jo Albert. This award is given to someone who personifies the best of our community through their individual actions or dedicated work with an organization.

Mary Jo served as the Volunteer Coordinator at St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center for 15 years leading orientations, keeping records, and helping with annual fundraising. Before moving to Monroe County, she worked with the House of John and the Clifton Springs YMCA and has dedicated her life to supporting her neighbors. Wherever there is a need, Mary Jo is willing to fill the gap and help her community, and she does so with selfless humility.

On behalf of our entire community: thank you, Mary Jo, for your continued dedication to uplifting members of our community in need.

Read more about Mary Jo Albert and her incredible work: Congressman Joe Morelle Awards Congressional Award of Distinction to Mary Jo Albert

If you would like to nominate someone from your neighborhood for the Congressional Award of Distinction, please visit my website and fill out our webform here.

As part of an ongoing effort to find new and better ways to help local nonprofits access federal grant money to support initiatives across our region, I hosted a grants seminar alongside the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes. 

At the seminar, we heard from David Johnson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Regional Health Operations, for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He shared his expertise and answered questions from local organizations on how to create competitive grant applications. Together we are working to bring home the resources our nonprofits need to thrive!

It was an honor to join Heritage Christian Services at the ribbon cutting for their newest facility in Henrietta this week. For the past forty years, they have provided world-class housing services to seniors, individuals with disabilities, and anyone who needs it–ensuring they can remain in their homes, in the communities they love, and near healthcare providers they know, through every stage of their lives. 

I was thrilled to celebrate their expansion through the Homes with Heart Campaign, which they estimate will allow 400 people in our community to have access to these services over the next 60 years.

I am proud to have secured $265,000 for the Monroe County BIPOC Per Advocate training program. This program is a shining reflection of our commitment to mental health advocacy, and the power of empathy and understanding. The training prepares peer advocates to be certified and placed in hospitals, clinics, non-profits, and the criminal justice system, helping those in recovery become self-sufficient, and offering critical support to those in crisis.

I am excited by the prospect of this first class of newly certified peer mentors making their mark on our community. Together we are ending the stigma and helping guide our neighbors toward a brighter future.

Please know my office is always here to help. Visit morelle.house.gov to learn more about how we can assist you and your family.

Until next week,

Joe Morelle

New York’s 25th Congressional District