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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Mobile Loaves & Fishes has made a positive impact in |
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| 6 | 7 | | Central Texas through its efforts to benefit the homeless; and |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, In September 1998, Alan Graham and several of his |
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| 8 | 9 | | fellow parishioners at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Austin |
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| 9 | 10 | | began delivering meals out of the back of a minivan to people living |
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| 10 | 11 | | on the street; the civic-minded group quickly grew, and within |
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| 11 | 12 | | months it was able to purchase a more suitable vehicle for catering; |
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| 12 | 13 | | and |
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| 13 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Mobile Loaves & Fishes later expanded to San |
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| 14 | 15 | | Antonio; Providence, Rhode Island; New Bedford, Massachusetts; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | Minneapolis, Minnesota, and its thousands of volunteers have since |
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| 16 | 17 | | served more than five million meals; as the reach of its food truck |
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| 17 | 18 | | ministry increased, the organization implemented new programs, |
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| 18 | 19 | | including Community First! Village, a 27-acre master-planned |
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| 19 | 20 | | neighborhood in Austin that provides affordable, permanent housing |
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| 20 | 21 | | and a supportive community for the chronically homeless; the |
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| 21 | 22 | | development fosters a friendly, familial environment and includes |
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| 22 | 23 | | such services and amenities as a medical facility, an outdoor movie |
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| 23 | 24 | | theater, walking trails, a marketplace, and common spaces for |
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| 24 | 25 | | projects, worship, and meditation; and |
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| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Through its Community Works initiative, Mobile |
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| 26 | 27 | | Loaves & Fishes offers microenterprise opportunities to those who |
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| 27 | 28 | | have experienced homelessness; Community First! residents join |
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| 28 | 29 | | with volunteers from across Austin to work as farmers in the Genesis |
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| 29 | 30 | | Gardens, which feature three acres of organic vegetables, hundreds |
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| 30 | 31 | | of fruit and nut trees, honeybees, dairy goats, chickens, and other |
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| 31 | 32 | | animals, as well as a geodome and aquaponics system; in addition, |
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| 32 | 33 | | residents can develop their talents and earn income at the |
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| 33 | 34 | | Community Art House and Community Forge and Workshop, as well as |
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| 34 | 35 | | through participation in the Community Concessions and Catering |
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| 35 | 36 | | program; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, While meeting urgent needs for food, clothing, and |
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| 37 | 38 | | shelter, Mobile Loaves & Fishes also assists clients in gaining a |
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| 38 | 39 | | firmer foothold as contributing members of society, and in so |
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| 39 | 40 | | doing, it has strengthened the entire community; now, therefore, be |
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| 40 | 41 | | it |
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| 41 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 42 | 43 | | Legislature hereby honor Alan Graham and Mobile Loaves & Fishes for |
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| 43 | 44 | | their tremendous contributions to the Lone Star State and extend to |
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| 44 | 45 | | the organization sincere best wishes for continued success with its |
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| 45 | 46 | | important work; and, be it further |
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| 46 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 47 | 48 | | prepared for Mobile Loaves & Fishes as an expression of high regard |
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| 48 | 49 | | by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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