08 LC 95
0777
Senate
Resolution 1279
By:
Senators Adelman of the 42nd and Jones of the 10th
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
and commending Nicholas House; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
Nicholas House is a leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping
homeless families achieve self-sufficiency; and
WHEREAS,
Nicholas House provides a temporary home while staff work with families to
identify and address the root causes of their homelessness in order to keep
them from becoming homeless again; and
WHEREAS,
founded in 1982, Nicholas House was the first transitional housing program
within the state dedicated to homeless families; and
WHEREAS,
over a quarter of a century later, Nicholas House continues to pursue its
mission with goals that help to ensure homeless families earn a living wage,
maintain a healthy family environment, and maintain their own permanent housing;
and
WHEREAS,
family homelessness is the most rapidly growing segment of the homeless
population and currently represents nearly 20 percent of all homeless people,
with 70 percent being children; and
WHEREAS,
Nicholas House provides a unique role in addressing family homelessness by
accepting any composition of family to keep families intact and not separating
by gender; emphasizing an accountability based program ensuring family progress
toward specific goals leading to self-sufficiency; and focusing on long-term
outcomes for success with up to two years of follow-up after families leave its
services to cement gains and document program successes; and
WHEREAS,
this caring organization provides critical support to homeless families via
temporary housing at multiple transitional shelters and apartment based housing;
adult education and training availability; and youth services programming with
after-school assistance, summer camp, and activities addressing the unique
academic, behavioral, and social needs of homeless children, as well as
follow-up aftercare support; and
WHEREAS,
this program has an established proven record of sustainable success with nearly
75 percent of families continuing to maintain self-sufficiency and their own
housing two years or more after leaving its services; all children graduating to
the next grade levels with a high percentage on honor rolls; widespread
community support of nearly 25,000 hours of volunteer support annually; and an
organizational commitment to excellence, effectiveness, and efficiency in
serving the community; and
WHEREAS,
Nicholas House envisions expanding its services to address the growing need and
substantial waiting list as well as providing community leadership as a best
practice model in addressing family homelessness; and
WHEREAS,
it is abundantly fitting and proper for this body to recognize with
particularity the outstanding accomplishments of this extraordinary
organization.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE STATE SENATE that the members of this body
recognize and commend Nicholas House for its success in helping homeless
families achieve sustainable self-sufficiency and as a model for addressing the
issue and causes of family homelessness within Georgia and express support for
its continuing efforts to eliminate family homelessness by creating a new start
for families today while breaking the cycle of homelessness and poverty among
future generations.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit appropriate copies of this resolution to the Executive Director and
Board of Directors of Nicholas House, Inc.