| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 143 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Texas Senate is pleased to recognize the |
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| 3 | 3 | | members of Feeding Texas for their invaluable work on behalf of |
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| 4 | 4 | | low-income families across the state; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Established in 1986, Feeding Texas consists of 21 |
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| 6 | 6 | | food banks that provide service to all 254 Texas counties through |
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| 7 | 7 | | approximately 3,000 community agencies; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, To further the goal of reducing hunger and |
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| 9 | 9 | | improving health in our state, many public-private partnerships |
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| 10 | 10 | | have been created, including the Texans Feeding Texans Surplus |
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| 11 | 11 | | Agricultural Products Grant Program; this innovative program |
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| 12 | 12 | | seeks to facilitate the donation of surplus food to feed low-income |
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| 13 | 13 | | families across Texas; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, By offsetting the costs of harvesting, packaging, |
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| 15 | 15 | | and transportation, the Surplus Agricultural Products Grant |
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| 16 | 16 | | Program offers incentives to growers to donate fresh produce that |
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| 17 | 17 | | would otherwise be left in the field; this initiative has |
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| 18 | 18 | | resulted in more than 150 million pounds of surplus produce being |
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| 19 | 19 | | distributed across the state; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | WHEREAS, Network members have established a partnership |
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| 21 | 21 | | with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to provide |
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| 22 | 22 | | nutrition education and obesity prevention services in |
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| 23 | 23 | | combination with fresh produce distribution; this initiative is |
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| 24 | 24 | | called "Feeding with Impact" and seeks to improve the dietary |
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| 25 | 25 | | health of low-income Texans; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Network members have also established a partnership |
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| 27 | 27 | | with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to provide |
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| 28 | 28 | | client education and application assistance for the Supplemental |
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| 29 | 29 | | Nutritional Assistance Program, which greatly increases the |
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| 30 | 30 | | efficiency of the eligibility-determination process; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Feeding Texas created the Second Chance program, |
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| 32 | 32 | | which allows inmates of the criminal justice system to gain |
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| 33 | 33 | | valuable work experience and certifications through volunteer |
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| 34 | 34 | | efforts at the food banks; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, It is truly fitting that Feeding Texas and its food |
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| 36 | 36 | | banks be recognized for their many contributions to the |
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| 37 | 37 | | well-being of the citizens of our state; now, therefore, be it |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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| 39 | 39 | | Legislature, hereby commend Feeding Texas on its exemplary |
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| 40 | 40 | | efforts to ensure that all Texans have access to nutritious food |
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| 41 | 41 | | and extend to its members best wishes for continued success; and, |
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| 42 | 42 | | be it further |
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| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor |
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| 44 | 44 | | of this organization. |
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| 45 | 45 | | Perry |
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| 46 | 46 | | ________________________________ |
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| 47 | 47 | | President of the Senate |
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| 48 | 48 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 49 | 49 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 50 | 50 | | the Senate on February 7, 2017. |
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| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 53 | 53 | | ________________________________ |
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| 54 | 54 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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