HR0357 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0357 LRB097 11846 GRL 55257 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the administration and employees of Family Service of Champaign County on the occasion of the organization's 100th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, Family Service of Champaign County is a human service organization for those in the process of some change or transition who are seeking support, assistance, or information; the organization's mission statement, "Supporting People Across the Generations by Providing Quality Human Services" reflects both its long history and its current purpose; and

WHEREAS, Family Service of Champaign County was founded in 1911 by a group of concerned local citizens who came together to address the need to coordinate efforts to provide relief from both the causes and effects of poverty; the organization was originally called the United Charities of Champaign and Urbana from 1911 to 1924; the agency was later known as the Family Welfare Society from 1924 to 1945 and, since 1945, as Family Service of Champaign County; and

WHEREAS, As a private, non-profit, non-governmental organization, Family Service of Champaign County prides itself on having the flexibility and vision to evolve to serve the changing needs of the communities of Champaign County; over the years, the organization has provided many vital services, including a well-baby clinic in the 1920s and 1930s, support for soldiers and their families during World War I and World War II, a child protective service in the 1950s before the creation of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and a broad array of services for seniors developed in response to the 1970 White House Conference on Aging; and

WHEREAS, Today, Family Service of Champaign County assists more than 12,000 individuals and families each year through its numerous senior citizen services, including in-home care, meals on wheels, volunteer support, transportation, assistance for grandparents raising grandchildren, and elder abuse protection; families and people of all ages receive counseling, parenting support and education, family caregiver support, and information about and referral to hundreds of community services and self-help groups; and

WHEREAS, Throughout its history, Family Service of Champaign County has continued to play a key role in coordinating community services; Family Service staff and board members have been instrumental in the creation of the United Way of Champaign County, the Champaign County Mental Health Board, the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, the Senior Task Force of Champaign County, the Senior Wellness Coalition, and many other collaborative groups; and

WHEREAS, Family Service of Champaign County continues to enjoy strong support from public and private funding sources, generous individual and corporate donors, community collaborators, and the thousands of volunteers who generously give their time and talent to help bring critical services to their friends and neighbors in need; and

WHEREAS, Family Service of Champaign County will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding with a celebration on July 16, 2011 at 88 Broadway in the Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the administration and employees of Family Service of Champaign County on the occasion of the organization's 100th anniversary and wish them continued success in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Family Service of Champaign County as a symbol of our esteem and respect.