| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
| |
|
|
WHEREAS, The Embrace organization has benefited children and |
|
|
families in Collin County and beyond for 10 years, and it is indeed |
|
|
fitting to recognize the contributions of its founders, Bruce and |
|
|
Denise Kendrick; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In 2007, the Kendricks established Embrace as a |
|
|
ministry at a church in North Texas to meet the needs of foster and |
|
|
adopted children in the congregation; the ministry's programs began |
|
|
to help other families as well, and in 2010, it became a nonprofit |
|
|
organization providing direct services to children and families in |
|
|
Collin County; its initial areas of focus included family support, |
|
|
recruitment of foster and adoptive parents, and transition services |
|
|
for youth aging out of foster care; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Embrace also assisted other churches in the |
|
|
development of similar ministries, and it was asked to facilitate |
|
|
the DFW Alliance of Adoption and Orphan Care Ministries, which |
|
|
represents groups from more than 40 churches; in addition, Embrace |
|
|
was invited to join the TexProtects Child Protection Roundtable and |
|
|
the Supreme Court of Texas Children's Commission; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In 2014, the organization launched the Second Story |
|
|
as a pilot program to engage more churches in the mission of finding |
|
|
homes for every child in Collin County; as Embrace continued to grow |
|
|
in Texas, the Kendricks worked to expand its outreach by traveling |
|
|
to churches across the country and creating the Embrace Church |
|
|
Network; the couple also launched the Family Beacon initiative, |
|
|
which is designed to aid at-risk families before foster care |
|
|
becomes necessary; they were named 2012 Child Advocates of the Year |
|
|
by the North American Council on Adoptable Children, and they were |
|
|
selected as Angels in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on |
|
|
Adoption Institute; in 2016, Mr. Kendrick was appointed to the |
|
|
Collin County Child Welfare Board; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Children are the Lone Star State's most precious |
|
|
resource, and through their dedicated efforts as the founders of |
|
|
Embrace, Bruce and Denise Kendrick have made a positive difference |
|
|
in the lives of countless young Texans; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby honor Bruce and Denise Kendrick for their work |
|
|
in behalf of children and families as founders of Embrace and extend |
|
|
to them sincere best wishes for continued success in their |
|
|
important work; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for the Kendricks as an expression of high regard by the |
|
|
Texas House of Representatives. |
| |
|
|
Sanford |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 1616 was adopted by the House on May |
|
|
4, 2017, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |