SR1784 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1784 LRB099 21513 GRL 47791 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate recognize foster youth and alumni as one of the State's most precious, valuable, and vulnerable citizens; and

WHEREAS, The mission of the Foster Care Alumni of America is to connect the alumni community and to transform policy and practice, ensuring opportunity for people in and from foster care and seeks to serve and act on behalf of the rights, needs, and well-being of current and former foster youth; and

WHEREAS, The Foster Care Alumni of America has 17 State Chapters; Illinois is the state affiliate of the National Foster Care Alumni of America; FCAA-IL has members around the State dedicated to the same mission; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services protect children who are reported to be abused or neglected and to increase their families' capacity to safely care for them and provide for the well-being of children in its care; provide appropriate and permanent families as quickly as possible for those children who cannot safely return home; support early intervention and child abuse prevention activities; and work in partnerships with communities to fulfill this mission; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services includes a Statewide Youth Advisory Board whose mission is to advocate and educate all youth in care; the Statewide Youth Advisory Board is committed to youth empowerment, development, leadership, and achievement across the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, FCAA-IL, working together with the Department of Children and Family Services and their Statewide Youth Advisory Board, are proud to host the first Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day on May 4, 2016; and

WHEREAS, The purpose of this day is to connect current and former foster children with a State legislator to educate them on the legislative process and spend their day mentoring them, help reshape the impression of who youth in foster care and alumni of foster care are, and connect legislators to the youth that they impact directly and indirectly; and

WHEREAS, The actions of FCAA-IL Illinois Chapter founding members April Curtis, Jeremy Harvey, and James McIntyre, DCFS Director George Sheldon, and current and former DCFS Statewide Youth Advisory Board members represent shining examples of those in our communities doing positive things for foster children, past and present, and are responsible for the creation of the first Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize May 4, 2016 as the first Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day and the dedication, hard work, and significant contributions to the well-being of current and former foster children; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to all participants in recognition of their efforts.