SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 514

WHEREAS, Endeavors, a faith-based nonprofit headquartered in San Antonio, has made a meaningful difference in the lives of countless people in need; and

WHEREAS, Founded as San Antonio Urban Ministries by inner-city churches in 1969, Endeavors has grown dramatically through the years and adopted its present name in 2018; the agency delivers an array of services to children, families, veterans, survivors of natural disasters, and people struggling with mental illness or other significant disabilities; it additionally partners and coordinates with government agencies and local and national organizations to increase its ability to meet the needs of vulnerable residents; and

WHEREAS, Endeavors has served nearly 30,000 clients in Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico; its programs address such issues as homelessness, unemployment, and child abuse, and it offers families counseling, crisis intervention, and life skills and vocational training, among other initiatives; key programs include Safe Services, which furnishes crime victims with free professional counseling and case management, Operation Parent Strong, which holds group and individual parenting classes for military families, and the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic, which provides integrated mental health care to veterans and their families; moreover, Veteran Supportive Services offers homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing, and in 2021, the agency opened the Veteran Wellness Center in San Antonio, a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive care clinic that addresses all aspects of health; and

WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, Endeavors was able to adapt to the unprecedented situation by continuing 98 percent of its operations remotely; the agency partnered with other support organizations to establish two emergency centers in El Paso to serve as points of entry for a network of area shelters; in addition, Endeavors secured a more than 50 percent increase in funding for COVID-impacted veterans and provided housing assistance to 200 clients in Houston who became homeless as a result of the pandemic; and

WHEREAS, For more than a half century, Endeavors has empowered countless people to improve their lives and build a brighter future for their families, and in so doing, it has helped to strengthen the entire community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th Legislature, hereby commend Endeavors on its exceptional service to vulnerable people in crisis and extend to all those associated with this noteworthy organization sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for Endeavors as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate.

Campbell, Gutierrez Menéndez, Zaffirini

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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate

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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 27, 2021.

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Secretary of the Senate