Recognizing June 8, 2009 as "Homeless Children and Youth Day," and Congratulating Dr. Ellen Bassuk of the National Center on Family Homelessness and the Family Service Provider Network for Leadership on the Problem of Homeless Children and Youth.

WHEREAS

, Data indicate that in an average year, nearly 5,000 homeless children and youth are living in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS

, Homeless children and youth are among our most vulnerable citizens; and

WHEREAS

, Dr. Ellen Bassuk, President of the National Center on Family Homelessness, has produced a comprehensive set of data and analysis entitled “America's Youngest Outcasts: State Report Card on Child Homelessness”; and

WHEREAS

, Dr. Bassuk is leading a campaign to end child homelessness in America by organizing national and local leadership, including United States Senator from Pennsylvania, the Honorable Robert P. Casey, Jr., and the Family Service Provider Network, a coalition of Philadelphia's family service providers; and

WHEREAS

, The Family Service Provider Network advocates for and directly serves Philadelphia homeless children, helping them obtain safe shelter, early care and education services, behavioral and health services, and much more; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,

That we hereby honor Philadelphia's homeless children and youth by pledging to work to end child homelessness and designate June 8th as the City of Philadelphia's day to honor all homeless children and youth.

FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,

Honors Dr. Ellen Bassuk, President of the National Center on Family Homelessness, for her commitment to challenging American society to end child homelessness and by bringing the needs of homeless children and youth to everyone's attention, and that it also honors the Family Service Provider Network of Philadelphia for its commitment to serving homeless children and youth and for advocating policies to help end the plight of homeless children and youth.

End