SJ0057 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


  

 


 
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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly
3recognize that foster youth and alumni are some of the State's
4most precious, valuable, 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 second
8Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day
9on May 16, 2018; 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 members April
18Curtis, Jeremy Harvey, and James McIntyre, Acting Director
19Walker of DCFS, and current and former DCFS Statewide Youth
20Advisory Board members represent shining examples of those in
21our communities doing positive things for foster children, past
22and present, and are responsible for the creation of the Annual

 

 

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1Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day;
2therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
4ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
5CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize May 16, 2018 as the third
6Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day
7and acknowledge the dedication, hard work, and significant
8contributions made to the well-being of current and former
9foster children; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
11presented to all participants in recognition of their efforts.