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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate William R. "Bill" Kreeb on
4the occasion of his retirement as President and CEO of the
5Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House; and
 
6    WHEREAS, William Kreeb has served as President and CEO of
7the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, a United Methodist
8Community Center, since 1981; he grew up in Kentucky and worked
9in mission in the Appalachia Region prior to coming to the
10Neighborhood House; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Upon becoming President and CEO, William Kreeb
12began helping the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House meet
13the ongoing child care needs of the community; he, along with
14others, worked to obtain the first At-Risk Infant and Toddler
15Child Care Program; the Neighborhood House went on to become
16the first nationally accredited child care program in the City
17of East St. Louis; in 1993, he helped develop a
18state-of-the-art child care facility at the East St. Louis
19Family Development Center, which continues today as a Gold Star
20Rated Child Care Center; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Under the direction of William Kreeb, the Lessie
22Bates Davis Neighborhood House was one of several agencies that

 

 

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1took the lead in developing new and innovative strategies to
2help people find jobs; with the help of Representative Wyvetter
3Younge and the East St. Louis Chamber of Commerce, the
4Neighborhood House started the East St. Louis Small Business
5Incubator, which resulted in supporting 46 minority owned and
6operated businesses; and
 
7    WHEREAS, William Kreeb addressed the housing crisis in the
8community, working with Habitat for Humanity to build safe and
9affordable housing, which developed into a Partnership with
10Catholic Urban Programs, East Side Heart and Home, and the
11Family Center to develop the Neighborhood Faith Based Housing
12Program; in the subsequent years, the partnership has built
13many new homes in the community and provided mission volunteer
14opportunities; he still enjoys working on houses throughout the
15community to help those in need; and
 
16    WHEREAS, William Kreeb helped obtain a one time grant
17through the United Way to help develop the St. Clair County
18Youth Coalition, which has continued over the past 15 years,
19bringing together more than 65 agencies in St. Clair County;
20and
 
21    WHEREAS, William Kreeb is proud to be part of the
22development of East Side Aligned and their commitment to
23changing and improving how all agencies and organizations work

 

 

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1together to make sure children and youth have the support they
2need to be successful in school and in life; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
5congratulate William R. "Bill" Kreeb on his retirement as
6President and CEO of the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House
7and we wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it
8further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to William Kreeb as an expression of our esteem and
11respect.