H. Res. 209 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

October 13, 2009. 

Whereas generations of Greek-Americans have worked alongside their fellow Americans to build a more perfect 

Union, and the United States is a stronger country because of them; 

Whereas Greek-Americans have served ably in their communities in numerous capacities, such as government, including five-term Maryland Senator Paul S. Sarbanes, 

and in the Armed Services in every war in which the 

United States fought since World War I, including patriots such as George Dilboy, a World War I Medal of 

Honor recipient; 

Whereas the Daughters of Penelope is a leading international 

organization of women of Hellenic descent and 

Philhellenes, founded November 16, 1929, in San Francisco, California, to improve the status and well-being of 

women and their families and to provide women the opportunity to make significant contributions to their community and country; 

Whereas the mission of the Daughters of Penelope is to promote the ideals of ancient Greece (namely, philanthropy, 

education, civic responsibility, good citizenship, and family and individual excellence) through community service 

and volunteerism; 
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•HRES 209 EH 

Whereas the chapters of the Daughters of Penelope sponsor 

affordable and dignified housing to the Nation’s senior 

citizen population by participating in the Department of 

Housing and Urban Development’s section 202 housing 

program; 

Whereas Penelope House, a domestic violence shelter for 

women and their children sponsored by the Daughters of 

Penelope, is the first of its kind in the State of Alabama 

and is recognized as a model shelter for others to emulate 

throughout the United States; 

Whereas the Daughters of Penelope Foundation, Inc., supports the educational objectives of the Daughters of Penelope by providing tens of thousands of dollars annually 

for scholarships, sponsoring educational seminars, and 

donating children’s books to libraries, schools, shelters, 

and churches through the ‘‘Open Books’’ program; 

Whereas the Daughters of Penelope is the first ethnic organization to submit oral history tapes to the Library of Congress, the tapes that provide an oral history of first generation Greek-American women in the United States; 

Whereas the Daughters of Penelope promotes awareness and 

research on medical diseases, such as cancer, thalassemia 

(Cooley’s anemia), lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), 

Alzheimer’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and others; 

Whereas the Daughters of Penelope provides financial support for many medical research and charitable organizations, such as the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (formerly the Papanicolaou 

Cancer Center), the Alzheimer’s Foundation, the American Heart Association, the Special Olympics, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Literacy, the Children’s Wish 
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Foundation, UNICEF, Habitat for Humanity, St. Basil 

Academy, and others; 

Whereas Greek-American directors and performers, such as 

Elia Kazan, Olympia Dukakis, and Maria Callas, enriched the arts, and medical researcher, Dr. George Papanicolaou, also known as the ‘‘The Father of Cytology’’, 

saved millions of lives by inventing the Pap Test; 

Whereas countless Greek-Americans have risen to become 

leaders of commerce and industry, thus fulfilling the 

‘‘American Dream’’; 

Whereas the Daughters of Penelope provides support and financial assistance to victims and communities affected by 

natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and 

forest fires; 

Whereas the Daughters of Penelope, founded November 16, 

1929, celebrates its 80th anniversary as a preeminent 

international women’s association and affiliate organization of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive 

Association (AHEPA); and 

Whereas Americans can trace the concept and ideals of democracy to the ancient Greeks: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes 

the significant contributions of American citizens of Greek 

ancestry and Philhellenes, and the Daughters of Penelope to 

the United States. 

Attest: 

Clerk.