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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate recognize that
3foster youth and alumni are some of the State's most precious,
4valuable, and vulnerable citizens; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The mission of the Foster Care Alumni of America
6(FCAA) is to connect the alumni community and to transform
7policy and practice, ensuring opportunity for people in and
8from foster care; it seeks to serve and act on behalf of the
9rights, needs, and well-being of current and former foster
10youth; and
 
11    WHEREAS, FCAA-IL is one of 23 state chapters that the FCAA
12has around the country with members dedicated to its mission;
13and
 
14    WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Children and Family
15Services (DCFS) protects children who are reported to be abused
16or neglected; it works to increase their families' capacity to
17safely care for them and provides for the well-being of
18children in DCFS care; they provide appropriate, permanent
19families as quickly as possible for those children who cannot
20safely return home; they support early intervention and child
21abuse prevention activities, and they work in partnerships with
22communities to fulfill this mission; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The services that DCFS provides include a
2Statewide Youth Advisory Board whose mission is to advocate and
3educate all youth in care; the Statewide Youth Advisory Board
4is committed to youth empowerment, development, leadership,
5and achievement across the State of Illinois;; and
 
6    WHEREAS, FCAA-IL, working together with DCFS and their
7Statewide Youth Advisory Board, are proud to host the fourth
8Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day
9on May 15, 2019; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The purpose of this day is to connect current and
11former foster children with a State legislator to educate them
12on the legislative process; the legislators spend their day
13mentoring them; this process helps reshape the impression of
14who youth in foster care and alumni are and connects
15legislators to the youth that they impact directly and
16indirectly; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The actions of founding FCAA-IL Chapter President
18James McIntyre, National Board Chair April Curtis, and current
19and former DCFS Statewide Youth Advisory Board members
20represent shining examples of those in our communities doing
21positive things for foster children, past and present, and are
22responsible for the creation of the Annual Illinois Foster

 

 

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1Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day; therefore, be it
 
2    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
3ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 15, 2019
4as the fourth Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni
5Legislative Shadow Day and acknowledge the dedication, hard
6work, and significant contributions made to the well-being of
7current and former foster children; and be it further
 
8    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
9presented to all participants in recognition of their efforts.