| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing March 24, 2009, as "Community |
| 3 | Action Day" in Florida. |
| 4 |
|
| 5 | WHEREAS, community action agencies were created to fight |
| 6 | the war on poverty when the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 was |
| 7 | signed into law, and |
| 8 | WHEREAS, community action agencies comprise America's |
| 9 | poverty-fighting network and have a 45-year history of promoting |
| 10 | economic security for families and self-sufficiency for low- |
| 11 | income families, children, and individuals, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, there are over 1,000 community action agencies |
| 13 | nationally, with 31 community action agencies supporting 67 |
| 14 | counties in this state, and |
| 15 | WHEREAS, the 2007 American Community Survey reported that |
| 16 | over 37 million Americans are living below the poverty level and |
| 17 | that Florida ranks 26th in states with the most people below the |
| 18 | poverty level at 2,158,832, and |
| 19 | WHEREAS, Florida currently has an 8.6-percent unemployment |
| 20 | rate, which is higher than the national average, and the fourth |
| 21 | highest foreclosure rate, and almost 10 percent of Floridians |
| 22 | receive food stamps, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, to combat these alarming statistics, Florida's |
| 24 | community action agencies provided services to 278,430 |
| 25 | individuals and 128,151 families in 2007, and |
| 26 | WHEREAS, in 2007 Florida's community action agencies |
| 27 | assisted 384 low-income individuals to complete postsecondary |
| 28 | education, 6,712 low-income individuals to obtain preemployment |
| 29 | skills, 2,625 unemployed to obtain a job, and 1,319 under- |
| 30 | employed individuals to increase their employment income, and |
| 31 | WHEREAS, Florida's community action agencies will continue |
| 32 | to provide low-income citizens with opportunities to improve |
| 33 | their lives and their living conditions through innovative and |
| 34 | cost-efficient programs, thus ensuring that all citizens are |
| 35 | able to live in dignity, and |
| 36 | WHEREAS, because the war on poverty is becoming an even |
| 37 | more formidable challenge in our communities, it is fitting to |
| 38 | recognize and commend the community action agencies that are at |
| 39 | the forefront of this struggle, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 40 |
|
| 41 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 42 | Florida: |
| 43 |
|
| 44 | That in recognition of the hard work, commitment, and |
| 45 | dedication of Florida's community action agencies and their |
| 46 | invaluable contributions to the well-being of the low-income |
| 47 | citizens throughout the state, March 24, 2009 is recognized as |
| 48 | "Community Action Day" in Florida. |