Please join us at Catholic Community Services (CCS), the Archdiocesan Housing Authority (AHA), and the Catholic Charities Foundation (CCF) in honoring the memory of former Representative and Speaker Frank Chopp. He died unexpectedly on March 22. As the longest serving Speaker of the House for Washington State, Speaker Chopp was not only a devoted political leader, but a true friend to and tireless advocate for all Washingtonians.
Throughout his life, Speaker Chopp championed the causes of affordable housing, economic opportunity, and needed social services. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with him on countless projects in service of our Western Washington community. Speaker Chopp was a reliable partner in helping CCS and AHA meet the needs of the individuals, families, and communities we serve, and his unwavering commitment to helping those most in need has positively transformed numerous lives across the state.
Speaker Chopp’s support propelled our ministry of presence, transforming our vision into real impact. When public safety nets took a hit during the 2008 recession, his leadership was key to creating the Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) program. He helped found the state’s Housing Trust Fund, which has provided substantial support for CCS and AHA affordable housing projects supporting low-income families, veterans, seniors, and single adults. This collaboration with Frank directly benefited our neighbors, bringing hope and stability to those facing poverty and homelessness.
Frank Chopp was a committed servant of the people of Washington, and we are tremendously grateful for his commitment and leadership throughout the many decades of his service to our state. He will be greatly missed. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues, and all those whose lives he touched. We hope they will find comfort in the knowledge that his legacy inspires so many of us to continue the work of advocating for and serving communities throughout Washington.