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92_HR0319
LRB9208941RHrh
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to recognize notable citizens of
4 the State of Illinois; and
5 WHEREAS, On Saturday, May 19, 2001, Commissioner Dr.
6 Mildred C. Harris, the Founder, President and CEO of God
7 First Ministries, is hosting the God First Ministries Annual
8 Heavenly Breakfast, an annual celebration which she has
9 hosted since 1972; the annual breakfast, proclaimed as one of
10 Chicago's largest, has grown in support to close to 5,000
11 since its inception; and
12 WHEREAS, Dr. Mildred C. Harris is a life-long resident of
13 Chicago, Illinois; she is the daughter of the late Dr. and
14 Mrs. Jordan Clopton; she is married to Dr. Herbert C. Harris,
15 a dentist and proprietor of the Chatham/Avalon Medical Center
16 in Chicago; and
17 WHEREAS, Dr. Harris is a retired mentor school teacher
18 and ordained minister; she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree
19 from DePaul University, a Master's Degree in Early Childhood
20 Education from Columbia University, a Master's Degree in
21 Communication Science from Governors State University, a
22 Master's Degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University,
23 and a Doctorate in Ministry from the International Bible
24 Institute and Seminary in Plymouth, Florida; and
25 WHEREAS, Dr. Harris was an educator in the Gary, Indiana
26 Public School System for many years; she served as
27 Supervisory Teacher for students at Indiana University
28 located in Northwest Indiana and Saint Joseph's College in
29 East Chicago, Indiana; she is the former President of the
30 Advisory Board at Kennedy-King College and a former Community
31 Advisor for Northeastern University; and
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1 WHEREAS, Dr. Mildred C. Harris is the Founder, President
2 and CEO of God First Ministries, a not-for-profit
3 community-based organization; the ministry began with only a
4 handful of women located in the Chicago area who traveled
5 weekly to different locations to pray for the needs of
6 others; and
7 WHEREAS, Under her leadership, the ministry has steadily
8 grown with chapters in Atlanta, Georgia; Muncie, Indiana;
9 Anderson, Indiana; Gary, Indiana; Michigan City, Indiana;
10 Springfield, Illinois; and Akron, Ohio; these chapters have
11 collectively touched thousands of lives throughout the world;
12 and
13 WHEREAS, God First Ministries has established itself as a
14 bridge builder in the community, bringing together ministers
15 from various denominations, churches and temples in the City
16 of Chicago; it also acts as a bridge within diverse ethnic
17 communities and cultures; and
18 WHEREAS, God First Ministries has provided dedication and
19 service to many hospitals and has supported a variety of
20 organizations throughout Chicago dedicated to helping persons
21 who are experiencing hardships; and
22 WHEREAS, Dr. Harris established the Adopt-a-Senior
23 Building Program, a program that has impacted the lives of
24 over ten thousand senior residents in the Chicago Housing
25 Authority Senior Residences; under Dr. Harris' guidance and
26 fundraising efforts, sitting rooms in over fifty senior
27 buildings throughout Chicago were refurnished; the program
28 won the NAHRO Award in 1997; and
29 WHEREAS, In addition to her involvement with God First
30 Ministries, Dr. Harris has also been involved with many
31 organizations and efforts in the past years, including
32 promoting a citywide organ donation drive in the City of
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1 Chicago from 1997 through 1999; she is a member of the Union
2 League Club, a former member of the Board of Directors of
3 Midwestern University, a member of the Chicago, Illinois
4 Links, Inc, the National Society of Fund Raising Executives,
5 Chicago Chapter, an honorary board member of Windows of
6 Opportunity, a member of the Women's Board of the Goodman
7 Theater, a member of the Community Advisory Board of Michael
8 Reese Hospital, a member of the American Society of
9 Composers, Authors and Publishers, a life member of the
10 National Council of Negro Women, a member of Crusaders
11 Church, and an organizer for the March of Jesus from 1995
12 through 1997; and
13 WHEREAS, On July 7, 1999, Mayor Richard M. Daley
14 appointed Dr. Harris to the Chicago Housing Authority Board
15 as a Commissioner; and
16 WHEREAS, Dr. Harris is featured in the Millennium Edition
17 of Who's Who in the World and was awarded the Woman of the
18 Year 2000 Award by the American Biographical Institute and
19 Board of International Research; she has been awarded the
20 Popular Music Award by the American Society of Composers,
21 Authors and Publishers; and she has been awarded the
22 Dominick's Fresh Spirit Award as one of Chicago's Leading
23 Women Religious Leaders; and
24 WHEREAS, Dr. Harris is the author of three books and many
25 teaching and musical tapes; in addition she has her own
26 television program, "Portraits of an Intercessor", on Cable
27 Channel 25 in Chicago, and she has hosted her own radio
28 programs; and
29 WHEREAS, Dr. Harris has loyally and with great
30 distinction and dedication touched through her ministry the
31 lives of thousands of individuals experiencing hardships in
32 their lives; therefore, be it
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1 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3 we honor Commissioner Dr. Mildred C. Harris for her ministry
4 efforts to those in need throughout the world and her many
5 other accomplishments; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7 presented to Commissioner Dr. Mildred C. Harris as an
8 expression of our esteem.