Full Text of SR0199 101st General Assembly
SR0199 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, For 100 years, Easterseals has been a leading | 3 | | advocate and service provider for children and adults with | 4 | | disabilities, veterans, older adults, caregivers, and their | 5 | | families; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, In 1919, following the sudden death of his son, | 7 | | Edgar Allen founded an organization, now known as Easterseals, | 8 | | to highlight and address the health care and service needs of | 9 | | children with disabilities; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, In 1945, Easterseals expanded its | 11 | | children-focused mission by opening its programs and services | 12 | | to include adults to meet the emerging and increasing needs of | 13 | | returning WWII veterans and other adults with disabilities; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Since its inception, Easterseals has strongly | 15 | | advocated for essential services and support for individuals | 16 | | with disabilities and diverse needs; in 1931, the organization | 17 | | authored a "Bill of Rights" for children with disabilities, | 18 | | which led to government-funded disability services; the | 19 | | organization's successful "seals" campaign increased public | 20 | | awareness and support; prior to the passing of the Americans | 21 | | with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990, Easterseals was a | 22 | | leading advocate and actively lobbied in Washington and across |
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| 1 | | the country for its adoption; and
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Easterseals has grown from its humble beginnings | 3 | | to become a leading national network of more than 70 | 4 | | community-based nonprofit organizations that delivers | 5 | | high-quality, local services and support to help more than 1.75 | 6 | | million children and adults with disabilities and their | 7 | | caregivers and families achieve milestones, live | 8 | | independently, and fully participate in their communities; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is well served by four | 10 | | Easterseals affiliate organizations with 22 locations across | 11 | | the State; these affiliate organizations are Easterseals | 12 | | Central Illinois, Easterseals DuPage and Fox Valley, | 13 | | Easterseals Joliet Region, and Easterseals serving Chicagoland | 14 | | and Rockford; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Easterseals is a strong partner with local, state, | 16 | | and federal government, corporations, foundations, and other | 17 | | sectors to provide or connect individuals and families to early | 18 | | intervention and childhood education services, autism spectrum | 19 | | disorder services, employment assistance and placement, mental | 20 | | health services, respite, camping and recreation, and | 21 | | caregiving and aging supports; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, Easterseals and its affiliates in Illinois have |
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| 1 | | had an impact on the lives of millions of Illinoisans for the | 2 | | past 100 years; its commitment to expanding possibilities for | 3 | | children and adults with disabilities ensure than everyone of | 4 | | us can live, learn, work, and play in our communities; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Easterseals continues the mission and commitment | 6 | | to service envisioned by its founder, who concluded that "Your | 7 | | life and mine shall be valued not by what we take, but by what | 8 | | we give"; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Easterseals embraces the vision that all people | 10 | | with disabilities and their caregivers and families will be 100 | 11 | | percent included and 100 percent empowered; therefore, be it
| 12 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | 13 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare April 3, | 14 | | 2019 Easterseals Day in the State of Illinois; and be it | 15 | | further
| 16 | | RESOLVED, that suitable copies of this resolution be | 17 | | presented to Easterseals Central Illinois, Easterseals DuPage | 18 | | and Fox Valley, Easterseals Joliet Region, and Easterseals | 19 | | serving Chicagoland and Rockford.
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