| 2 | 3 | | |
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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Embrace organization has benefited children and |
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| 6 | 7 | | families in Collin County and beyond for 10 years, and it is indeed |
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| 7 | 8 | | fitting to recognize the contributions of its founders, Bruce and |
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| 8 | 9 | | Denise Kendrick; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, In 2007, the Kendricks established Embrace as a |
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| 10 | 11 | | ministry at a church in North Texas to meet the needs of foster and |
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| 11 | 12 | | adopted children in the congregation; the ministry's programs began |
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| 12 | 13 | | to help other families as well, and in 2010, it became a nonprofit |
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| 13 | 14 | | organization providing direct services to children and families in |
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| 14 | 15 | | Collin County; its initial areas of focus included family support, |
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| 15 | 16 | | recruitment of foster and adoptive parents, and transition services |
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| 16 | 17 | | for youth aging out of foster care; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Embrace also assisted other churches in the |
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| 18 | 19 | | development of similar ministries, and it was asked to facilitate |
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| 19 | 20 | | the DFW Alliance of Adoption and Orphan Care Ministries, which |
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| 20 | 21 | | represents groups from more than 40 churches; in addition, Embrace |
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| 21 | 22 | | was invited to join the TexProtects Child Protection Roundtable and |
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| 22 | 23 | | the Supreme Court of Texas Children's Commission; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, In 2014, the organization launched the Second Story |
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| 24 | 25 | | as a pilot program to engage more churches in the mission of finding |
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| 25 | 26 | | homes for every child in Collin County; as Embrace continued to grow |
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| 26 | 27 | | in Texas, the Kendricks worked to expand its outreach by traveling |
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| 27 | 28 | | to churches across the country and creating the Embrace Church |
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| 28 | 29 | | Network; the couple also launched the Family Beacon initiative, |
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| 29 | 30 | | which is designed to aid at-risk families before foster care |
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| 30 | 31 | | becomes necessary; they were named 2012 Child Advocates of the Year |
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| 31 | 32 | | by the North American Council on Adoptable Children, and they were |
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| 32 | 33 | | selected as Angels in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on |
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| 33 | 34 | | Adoption Institute; in 2016, Mr. Kendrick was appointed to the |
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| 34 | 35 | | Collin County Child Welfare Board; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Children are the Lone Star State's most precious |
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| 36 | 37 | | resource, and through their dedicated efforts as the founders of |
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| 37 | 38 | | Embrace, Bruce and Denise Kendrick have made a positive difference |
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| 38 | 39 | | in the lives of countless young Texans; now, therefore, be it |
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| 39 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 40 | 41 | | Legislature hereby honor Bruce and Denise Kendrick for their work |
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| 41 | 42 | | in behalf of children and families as founders of Embrace and extend |
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| 42 | 43 | | to them sincere best wishes for continued success in their |
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| 43 | 44 | | important work; and, be it further |
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| 44 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 45 | 46 | | prepared for the Kendricks as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 46 | 47 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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