1-1                                     1
 1-2                         SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1206
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is proud to join
 1-4     the citizens of Houston in recognizing Mary Jo May and El Centro
 1-5     de Corazon for the outstanding efforts put forth in response to
 1-6     the needs of the Second Ward in the east end of Houston; and
 1-7           WHEREAS, A community-based social service organization
 1-8     begun in June of 1994, El Centro de Corazon arose from the heart
 1-9     of families concerned for the welfare and development of their
1-10     children; and
1-11           WHEREAS, Mary Jo May, as executive director, plays an
1-12     integral part in identifying the needs as well as in finding the
1-13     ways to resolve the issues that are faced by these families on a
1-14     daily basis; and
1-15           WHEREAS, With the understanding that poverty breeds
1-16     poverty if the cycle is not broken, El Centro de Corazon offers
1-17     the residents of the area ways to break this cycle through the
1-18     use of teaching, listening, learning, and responding; and
1-19           WHEREAS, As a community, the Second Ward faced challenges
1-20     such as a lack of achievement in school, teenage pregnancy,
 2-1     substance abuse, and violence; and
 2-2           WHEREAS, Responding to these concerns, El Centro de Corazon
 2-3     instituted a home visitation approach to better ensure that the
 2-4     families have the proper health care, social services, and
 2-5     educational support necessary to provide the children with the
 2-6     healthy start required to survive in today's world; and
 2-7           WHEREAS, El Centro de Corazon supplements its approach
 2-8     with additional services ranging from addiction counseling
 2-9     to tutoring and mentoring, from maintaining a community garden
2-10     to providing nutritional and health education; giving people the
2-11     opportunity to learn, understand, and become self-sufficient is
2-12     critical to the success of this organization; and
2-13           WHEREAS, New crises arise almost daily in this community,
2-14     and in March of 1998, came the discovery that underage girls
2-15     were being victimized and enticed into the dangerous practice
2-16     of taxi dancing; Mary Jo May was instrumental in bringing this
2-17     to the attention of the public, and she is credited with the
2-18     formation of a coalition to combat this abuse of disadvantaged
2-19     young people; and
2-20           WHEREAS, Seeking a better future for the Second Ward,
2-21     El Centro de Corazon has shown this community how to break down
2-22     the barriers to becoming self-sufficient that otherwise would have
2-23     remained in place; now, therefore, be it
2-24           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
 3-1     76th Legislature, hereby commend and salute Mary Jo May
 3-2     and El Centro de Corazon for the humanitarian efforts on
 3-3     behalf of the families of the Second Ward; and, be it further
 3-4           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an
 3-5     expression of the esteem and high regard of the Texas Senate.
 3-6                                                                Gallegos
 3-7                                  ______________________________________
 3-8                                          President of the Senate
 3-9                                       I hereby certify that the above
3-10                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
3-11                                  on May 31, 1999.
3-12                                  ______________________________________
3-13                                          Secretary of the Senate
3-14                                  ______________________________________
3-15                                           Member, Texas Senate