HR0946 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0946 LRB102 29022 LAW 40924 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Guardian Angel Community Services on the occasion of its 125th anniversary on October 19, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services, the oldest social service organization in Will County, was founded by the Sisters of St. Francis Mary Immaculate of Joliet when they purchased a small cottage behind their motherhouse on October 19, 1897, which became the first Guardian Angel Home to care for dependent and neglected children; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services has been recognized on the local, national, and global stage, and it has achieved the highest standards of excellence for best practice in service delivery and operations; the organization is licensed as an Illinois Child Welfare Organization and accredited by the Council on Accreditation, an international, independent human service organization that partners with human service organizations worldwide; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services' mission is to provide diverse services that inspire people to improve the quality of their lives in their greatest time of need; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services' philosophy of care is centralized around peace, justice, and the belief in people's inalienable human right to live safely, free from violence, oppression, and abuse; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services is guided by the principle that people have the right to self-determination on their journey towards healing; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services strives to instill hope through client-centered services provided in a safe and confidential environment; and

WHEREAS, Since the start of the 21st century, Guardian Angel Community Services has served over 700,000 people through direct services, prevention education, and community outreach, expanding its services by an extraordinary 705%; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services operates several programs in present day; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services' Groundwork program offers comprehensive services for survivors of domestic violence, including a 24-hour emergency hotline and shelter, crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, and legal and medical advocacy services; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services' Suzy's Caring Place provides housing to domestic violence survivors and their children and works to reduce the incidence of homelessness by addressing the emotional and economic consequences of victimization; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services' Sexual Assault Services Center offers comprehensive services to survivors of sexual assault, including a 24-hour emergency hotline, individual and group counseling, and legal and medical advocacy, while implementing a robust prevention education and community outreach campaign annually; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services' Exchange Club Center provides parenting classes and nurtures healthy child/youth development for the prevention of child abuse and neglect; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services' Foster Care program recruits, trains, and provides oversight and support to foster parents who offer a caring and safe environment to children who have been removed from their environment due to abuse or neglect, while also meeting the needs of youth in foster care and assisting their families towards reunification; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services' Partner Abuse Intervention Program helps individuals develop healthy, mutually supportive relationships to eliminate domestic violence from their lives through education-based services; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services' Adult Protective Services assists adults with disabilities aged 18 to 59 as well as those who are 60 years of age and older who are at risk due to abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and exploitation; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services has an exemplary history of adapting programming in response to community needs, including opening satellite offices in Joliet, Plainfield, Morris, and Crete and expanding emergency shelter beds for survivors of domestic violence by 50%; more recently, the organization responded swiftly to the global COVID-19 pandemic, with its heroic staff serving on the front lines to deliver 24-hour essential services; and

WHEREAS, Guardian Angel Community Services continues to withstand the test of time while demonstrating community leadership and service towards significantly improving the quality of life of citizens; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Guardian Angel Community Services on its 125th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commend Guardian Angel Community Services' Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and donors for their continued dedication and service to the community.