Senators Stamas, Bieda, Hopgood, Proos, Gregory, Marleau, Booher, Hansen and Conyers offered the following resolution:

            Senate Resolution No. 58.

            A resolution to commemorate May 2017 as Community Action Agency Month.

            Whereas, Citizens with limited income continue to need opportunities to improve their lives and their living conditions, thus ensuring that all citizens are able to live in dignity; and

            Whereas, Michigan and the entire United States must continue to promote economic security by providing support and opportunities for all citizens in need of assistance; and

            Whereas, Community action agencies were established into law in 1964 under President Lyndon Johnson in effort to aid in the War of Poverty, making 2017 the 53rd year of community action in the United States; and

            Whereas, The month of May has been designated by the United States Congress as National Community Action Month; and

            Whereas, Michigan’s 29 community action agencies are the only community-based organizations providing full wraparound, locally-directed services in all 83 counties in the state; and

            Whereas, In 2016, Michigan’s 29 community action agencies served 168,377 Michigan residents, including 83,538 families by providing early childhood education, Head Start, senior services, affordable housing, food assistance, energy assistance, financial literacy classes, and job training programs, among other services; and

            Whereas, According to the National Association for State Community Services Programs’ 2106 annual report, Michigan’s CAAs provided family development and enrichment programs in 372,898 cases to infants, children, youth, parents, and other adults, contributing to improved health and physical development as well as economic self-sufficiency; 391,487 instances of delivering emergency services to low-income individuals and families; 258,200 cases of low-income, vulnerable individuals receiving services necessary to maintain independent living situations; 66,818 employment or work supports in which barriers to employment were removed or reduced; and 232,093 connections and referrals were made with other assistance service providers and programs; and

            Whereas, Community action agencies, in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, have successfully administered weatherization assistance program funds which have supported energy-efficiency improvements; and

            Whereas, Michigan’s community action agencies have leveraged their federal allocation of the Community Services Block Grant and other federal, state, local, and private sources of funding to foster more than $333 million in economic activity statewide in 2016; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate, That the members of this legislative body commemorate May 2017 as Community Action Agency Month; and be it further

            Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan Community Action Agency Association.