HR0675 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0675 LRB103 40099 LAW 71666 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Domestic abuse and domestic violence are increasingly recognized as scourges that not only can harm individuals but also can damage and destroy families; its episodes, when they happen, create emotions that reverberate outward onto many other individuals; and

WHEREAS, Under President/CEO Rebecca Darr, the Chicago-area-centered WINGS Program, Inc. seeks to preempt these emotions by providing housing, education, and advocacy in a package of long-term integrated services for persons who have experienced domestic violence; and

WHEREAS, The WINGS Program, Inc. is aligned with, and has affiliations with, 162 separate safe housing options for people in and around the Chicagoland area who have experienced domestic violence; and

WHEREAS, The WINGS Program, Inc., realizing that safe housing is only the beginning for persons who have experienced domestic violence, has created a program of client-centered personal support for these individuals and their loved ones, extending over a targeted period of two years for each client; and

WHEREAS, The holistic services provided by the WINGS Program, Inc. for persons who have experienced domestic violence can generate new experiences and work with them to build strong people capable of new durable interpersonal relationships, people who will never forget but also never fall back; and

WHEREAS, Another key to the provision of these holistic services over the time frame for each client that is made necessary by the reality of domestic violence is the coordination of donor relations for persons who are supporters of the WINGS Program, Inc; and

WHEREAS, When Rebecca Darr came on board the WINGS Program, Inc., its budget was $350,000; during her time with the WINGS Program, Inc., this sum has grown to $13 million; and

WHEREAS, After 21 years as the executive director of the WINGS Program, Inc., Rebecca Darr was named president and CEO of the program in 2020; without her participation and leadership, the program and its clients could never have dreamed of reaching their goals together; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the achievements of President/CEO Rebecca Darr on her 25th anniversary serving in an executive capacity with WINGS Program, Inc.; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we thank not only President/CEO Rebecca Darr but also the courageous clients of WINGS Program, Inc. and the persons who have donated their time and resources to the program to make it what it has become over the last quarter of a century; and be it further

RESOLVED, That by expressing our appreciation to President/CEO Rebecca Darr and WINGS Program, Inc., we renew our commitment to reducing and eliminating the scourge of domestic violence in Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to President/CEO Rebecca Darr as a symbol of our recognition of her leadership and the service provided by WINGS Program, Inc. and its dedicated professionals, allies, donors, and volunteers.