HR0859 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0859 LRB104 21559 ECR 36967 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to commend Centro San Bonifacio for offering 35 years of remarkable service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the immigrant community in the City of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Centro San Bonifacio was founded by local families as an act of community solidarity in 1991, following the closure of the Church of San Bonifacio, with the intention of being led by and for the Latin American immigrant community, ensuring those in frontline positions hold positions of power; and

WHEREAS, Centro San Bonifacio has grown from its humble beginnings in a board member's apartment into a self-sustaining pillar of the Northwest side of Chicago, currently operating out of its vibrant home at 2959 North Pulaski Road; and

WHEREAS, Centro San Bonifacio's community-run model is anchored by Café Fenix and managed by Cooperativa Fenix, which serves as a gateway to the organization and provides barista training for young adults, embodying the spirit of rising from the ashes following Centro San Bonifacio's reconstitution in 2012; and

WHEREAS, For more than three decades, Centro San Bonifacio's community health workers, known as Promotores de Salud, have served as a beacon of hope, utilizing a peer-to-peer model to provide vital health education, social service connections, and emotional support to families navigating new beginnings; and

WHEREAS, The Together We Shine program, also known as "Juntos Brillamos", promotes the psychosocial health of the entire family through a broad palette of offerings, including youth development, violence prevention, social-emotional learning, and an arts academy that celebrates Latin American heritage; and

WHEREAS, Centro San Bonifacio has remained at the forefront of social justice through its Illinois Welcoming Center and Southern Border Arrivals Assistance Team, providing critical case management, supplies, and Know Your Rights presentations to Chicago's newest neighbors; and

WHEREAS, Centro San Bonifacio's 35-year milestone is a testament to the vision, resilience, and trust that the organization has earned by transforming countless lives and strengthening the very fabric of the community; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend Centro San Bonifacio on 35 years of offering extraordinary service to the immigrant community of Chicago; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we honor the passion of Centro San Bonifacio's leadership, staff, and volunteers, and we wish them continued growth and inspiration in the years ahead; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Centro San Bonifacio as a symbol of our esteem and respect.