HR0251 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0251 LRB102 18255 MST 25926 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Tim Carpenter on the occasion of his retirement from his longtime position as the Illinois State Director of Council for a Strong America's Illinois office, the only person to serve in that position; and

WHEREAS, Council for a Strong America consists of three national membership organizations that represent the experience and credibility of respected groups of civic leaders who, through council participation, are dedicated to improving the well-being of children from their earliest years of life; and

WHEREAS, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is the oldest of these nonprofit, bipartisan membership organizations, consisting of police chiefs, sheriffs, and prosecutors providing a law enforcement perspective on children's policies that are shown by research to promote public safety; and

WHEREAS, Tim Carpenter opened the Illinois office of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids in 1998 and helped it develop, over time, to include nearly 350 law enforcement leaders from every corner of our State; and

WHEREAS, Tim Carpenter has long coordinated the successful efforts of these law enforcement leaders in sharing research and experience with policymakers to make the case for greater investments in early care and education, after school programs, juvenile justice priorities, and other vital services for Illinois children and their families; and

WHEREAS, Over the years, Tim Carpenter and Fight Crime members have worked with a wide range of strong allies in helping to establish the Illinois Early Learning Council, to create our State's Preschool for All policy, and to enshrine in state statute the Teen REACH after school program, among other policy highlights; and

WHEREAS, In addition to Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Tim Carpenter has helped to launch and shepherd the Illinois efforts of two other membership groups under the umbrella of Council for a Strong America, to assist in the work of improving children's learning and development, the ReadyNation network of business executives, which provides a workforce development and economic perspective, and the Mission: Readiness organization of retired U.S. military leaders, offering a national security background; and

WHEREAS, For 11 years prior to these efforts, Tim Carpenter was demonstrating a commitment to Illinoisans in need through his leadership of the Metropolitan Tenants Organization in Chicago, a nonprofit, citywide coalition devoted to promoting tenants' rights and the availability, affordability, and quality of rental housing in that city; and

WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Tim Carpenter has drawn particular inspiration from the spirit and example of the late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington and has, in turn, likewise inspired countless others to similarly serve fellow Illinoisans in need; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Tim Carpenter on his stellar career of service to children and families statewide, and we extend our sincere best wishes to him for a happy, well-deserved retirement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Tim Carpenter as an expression of our respect and esteem.