HomeMy WebLinkAboutDeclaring March as Disability Awareness Month and Commending & Honoring Chiara Homes, Inc. Providing Care for People with Special NeedsAttest:
RESOLUTION
NO. 2841 -00
Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana
February 28,
20 00 .
Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, Indiana
March 1,
N
City Clerk
President of Common Council
Approved and signed by me March 2 2000 .
City Clerk
0
Resolution No. 2941-00
A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND,
INDIANA, DECLARING THE MONTH OF MARCH AS DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH
AND COMMENDING AND HONORING CHIARA HOME, INC. FOR PROVIDING RESPITE
CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS,
V Wtas, the South Bend Common Council acknowledges that the federal Americans
with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990 by then President George Bush; and
Vbtrta8, this federal law established civil rights protections which has fostered
awareness in four (4) major areas, namely: Employment under Title I, Public Services and
Transportation under Title II, Public Accommodations under Title III, and Telecommunications
under Title IV; and which further provides for "...a clear and comprehensive national mandate for
the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities "; and
"OVbt%'00, one of the best examples of a local organization which provides respite care to
individuals with developmental disabilities, mental disorders and/or special needs is Chiara Home,
Inc.which is located at 1105 West Jefferson Boulevard in South Bend; and
"O belVtilB, Chiara Home, Inc. is available 24 -hours a day, 7 days a week for guests of all
ages; provides services regardless of ones ability to pay; sponsors home and community based
recreational activities to encourage self - confidence; provides supportive care to help reinforce social
skills; and provides normalized activities in both play and conversation; and
' bMiC49, since 1993, Chiara Home, Inc. has provided special respite care services to
over 130 families residing in the Michiana area, with this figure representing a twenty percent
(20 %) increase in the need for such services each year in our community.
AM, ZbtVd0Vt, Ot It 00aitt0 by the Common Council of the City of South
Bend, Indiana, as follows:
Section I. On behalf of all the citizens of the City of South Bend, Indiana, the Common
Council hereby publicly declares the month of March 2000 as "DISABILITY AWARENESS
MONTH" in South Bend, Indiana.
Section H. The Common Council notes that there have been many advancements since
the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990; and wishes to acknowledge in particular
some of the many contributions made by the not - for - profit organization, CHIARA HOME,
INC., under the day -to -day direction of its co- founder, Sister Gretchen Clark, whose many
services exemplify the stated goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Section III. The Common Council wishes to highlight that the respite care provided by
the dedicated staff and volunteers of Chiara Home, Inc. provide services which "allow a person
with special needs to remain as independent as possible, postpones or prevents institutionalization,
lessens the potential for abuse and neglect, and provides much needed support for families to
remain together as functioning units in our community".
Section IV, This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption
by the Common Council and approval by the Mayor.
James Aranowski, First District
Charlotte Pfeifer, Second District
Roland Kelly, Third District
Karl King, Fourth District
David Varner, Fifth District
%ittt$t:
Loretta Duda, City Clerk
PRESENTED ?--?-8-00
NOT APPROVED
ADOPTED 1 -18.0 0
Andrew Ujdak, Sixth District
Sean Coleman, At Large
Al 'Buddy" Kirsits, At Large
Karen L. White, At Large
Kathleen Cekanski- Farrand,
Council Attorney
Stephen J. Luecke, Mayor