HR1238 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1238 LRB099 21826 MST 48661 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate The Salvation Army on 150 years of doing "The Most Good"; and

WHEREAS, The Salvation Army has a long history of doing "The Most Good" by providing, among other services, food, shelter, clothing, education, employment, educational opportunities, family counseling, toys for children, and relief during disasters and emergencies; and

WHEREAS, The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 by William and Catherine Booth as a Christian Mission in London, England to "preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the poor, homeless, hungry, and destitute"; and

WHEREAS, The Salvation Army opened its first location in the United States in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, The Salvation Army first organized in Chicago in 1882, and opened its first "Slum Post" in 1892 to nurse the sick, clean rooms, wash and mend clothes, care for the children, and perform other practical tasks; and

WHEREAS, During World War I, The Salvation Army served freshly-cooked donuts to troops on the front lines; and

WHEREAS, During the Great Depression, The Salvation Army opened its facilities to provide food, shelter, and employment; and

WHEREAS, During World War II, The Salvation Army was instrumental in forming USO clubs for troops at home and overseas; and

WHEREAS, In 1965, The Salvation Army began providing family counseling to those in need; and

WHEREAS, The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division supported the response to the September 11, 2001 attacks with expertise, volunteers, and materials; and

WHEREAS, The Salvation Army currently consists of 40 divisions with 1,252 corps, staffed by 3,600 officers, 63,000 employees, 107,000 soldiers, 404,000 adherents, and 3.4 million volunteers world-wide; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate The Salvation Army on 150 years of doing "The Most Good"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Illinois, U.S., and international headquarters of The Salvation Army as a token of our gratitude and respect for the work that they do.