Political Quotes

“What does it take to change a city? Sometimes it starts with a cup of soup. Eighty years ago, in Jacksonville, Florida, three businessmen did exactly that. They walked the streets handing out soup to men who had nowhere else to turn--no fanfare, no program, just compassion in action. From that small act in 1946 grew the City Rescue Mission, an institution that has spent eight decades restoring hope to men, women, and families facing homelessness, addiction, hunger, and hardship. What began as a small ministry has grown into a comprehensive network of services that provides emergency shelter, recovery programs, job training, medical care, and lifelong transformation for thousands of people in northeast Florida. For 80 years, the mission has reminded our community of a simple truth: The strength of a city is measured not by the buildings or the economy but by how it cares for those struggling the most. On May 7, the City Rescue Mission will celebrate--how about this, Mr. Speaker--its 80th anniversary with a dinner honoring its legacy and looking toward the future. The real story isn't the anniversary. It is the thousands of lives changed because someone cared enough to act. Mr. Speaker, may God continue to bless the men and women who have been a part of the mission and continue to this day to be a part of that mission. To think, Mr. Speaker, it all started with three people walking through the streets of Jacksonville, carrying nothing but soup.”