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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate Keith O. Brown on 
4the occasion of his retirement from Community Action after 42 
5years of service; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Keith Brown dedicated his life to fighting for 
7social and economic justice on behalf of children and families 
8who find themselves in the predicament of poverty; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Keith Brown has taken the mission of service to 
10heart and often has been involved in a multitude of spheres 
11resolving the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty in this 
12great nation; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, Keith Brown began his employment with B.C.M.W. 
14Community Services (formerly the Kaskaskia Community Action 
15Agency) in the spring of 1972 as a coordinator for the 
16Neighborhood Youth Corps Program; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, Keith Brown became a planner for B.C.M.W. 
18Community Services and gathered data and developed grant 
19applications for funding at the State and federal levels; and
  
 
20    WHEREAS, Keith Brown served as B.C.M.W. Community 
 
 
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1Services' Deputy Director from 1977 to 1997; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Keith Brown served as Executive Director of 
3B.C.M.W. Community Services from 1997 until September 5, 2014; 
4under his leadership, the agency fought poverty and uplifted 
5those who live on the margins of our economic system with the 
6following programs and services: the Community Services Block 
7Grant, Head Start, LIHEAP, Weatherization, HOME (Single Family 
8Rehab), HTF (Energy Conservation and Home Repair Program), the 
9Homebuyer Assistance Program, Transitional Housing, Senior 
10Nutrition, OHS Homeless Prevention, and the Emergency Food and 
11Shelter National Board Program; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Under Keith Brown's leadership as the Executive 
13Director of B.C.M.W. Community Services, he was instrumental in 
14negotiating the purchase of a building for the Golden Age 
15Senior Center in Centralia, which houses the kitchen facilities 
16for the Senior Nutrition Program and the B.C.M.W. Head Start 
17Program, along with the senior congregate meal site; and
  
 
18    WHEREAS, Keith Brown has been a member of the Illinois 
19Association of Community Action Agencies' Board of Directors 
20for over 20 years; therefore, be it
  
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
22NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
 
 
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1we honor Keith O. Brown's 42 years of service to Community 
2Action in Illinois and wish him well on his retirement and his 
3future endeavors; and be it further
  
 
4    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
5presented to Keith Brown as an expression of our esteem and 
6respect.