88R28478 BK-D
By: Talarico H.R. No. 1559
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Association for Texas Advocates is celebrating
40 years of exemplary service to adults with intellectual and
developmental disabilities and their families in 2023; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1983, Texas Advocates is a statewide
self-advocacy organization run by and for people with intellectual
and developmental disabilities; the nonprofit now has some 20
chapters and 500 members in towns and cities from the Rio Grande
Valley to the Texas Panhandle and from El Paso to Texarkana; and
WHEREAS, Texas Advocates has steadfastly provided adult
Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities with a
range of programs to promote their well-being, connect them to
their communities, and enrich their lives; the organization is
currently offering peer mentoring services at residential
institutions, operating 15 Next Chapter Book Clubs to help
participants discover the joy of reading, and preparing to train 40
of its members to become leaders in Texas organizations and
governmental entities by 2027; and
WHEREAS, Every year, Texas Advocates sponsors a
well-attended annual conference for adults with intellectual and
developmental disabilities, their families, and organizations and
businesses that serve them, and this year, the conference will take
place in the city of Denton; during each state legislative session,
the association sends representatives to discuss the needs of its
clients and the cause of disability rights with state lawmakers,
and it collaborates with like-minded organizations to provide
current data and cogent information to elected officials in the
interim as well; and
WHEREAS, Texas Advocates is one of the few organizations of
its kind whose leadership structure includes an individual with an
intellectual disability as its co-executive director, who works in
tandem with an experienced nonprofit executive; its current
co-executive directors are Brooke Hohfeld and Deborah Wallace, who
are doing an exemplary job of leading the organization with the
support of the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, the
Tocker Foundation, and other donors; and
WHEREAS, For four decades, the Association for Texas
Advocates has supported and empowered countless clients across the
state through its initiatives and advocacy efforts, and it is a
pleasure to join in recognizing the organization on this special
milestone in its history; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby honor the Association for Texas Advocates on its
40th anniversary and commend the organization's leadership team,
support staff, contractors, volunteers, and members for their
outstanding contributions to its success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Texas Advocates as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.