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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RESOLUTION HONORING LA CASA NORTE & SOL FLORES
WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of the Cook County Board of Commissioners that La Casa Norte was co-founded by Keith Decker and Peter McQueen in 2002 as a non-profit organization and, under the leadership of founding executive director Sol Flores, a Chicago native and with a long history of community engagement who's served on the boards to The Latino Policy Forum, Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation, Heartland Housing Corporation, The Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund, and Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County, Protestants for the Common Good and Kuumba Lynx; and
WHEREAS, in 2003, La Casa Norte began a capital campaign to make Solid Ground Supportive Housing Program, one of Chicago's first housing projects serving homeless males ages 16-21, a reality. Shortly after, La Casa Norte also received an award of $400,000 for capital and operating expenses from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This seed money paved the way for other funding opportunities to develop and La Casa Norte began to see an influx of support from various foundations, churches, and individuals who believed in the mission of serving youth and families confronting homelessness; and
WHEREAS, in 2005, La Casa Norte continued to grow and began construction of Solid Ground and La Casa Norte's third program, Esperanza Trabajando, providing free career and educational assistance to ex-offenders, limited English speakers, and those without a high school diploma or GED; and
WHEREAS, in 2006, La Casa Norte opened Solid Ground and continued to gain recognition and support for its leadership and work within the community, Sol Flores, Executive Director, received the inaugural Ruby Slipper Award for leadership and advocacy from Mayor Richard M. Daley on behalf of the City of Chicago's Plan to End Homelessness; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, as it celebrated its ten-year anniversary, La Casa Norte was honored by The White House and continued to receive countless of other awards and accolades as it worked towards building a new 55,000 square ft. facility with 25 units of housing, a wellness center, a training center, tutoring services, a conference space and an arts center, all housed at 3533 W. North Avenue in the Humboldt Park community; and
WHEREAS, since opening its Crisis Center Program with two employees, a bold mission, and hope for the future, today boasts over 80 staff members, an annual budget of $4.5M while serving 2,600 households with multiple services including housing programs, such as: emergency, transitional and permanent housing for youth and families and service programs, such as: homelessness prevention, education and employment counseling, drop in centers, food, clothing and toiletries; and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does, hereby congratulate and recognize La Casa Norte and Sol Flores for their work and service of homeless youth and their families, and honors them for their dedication to and service of Cook County's homeless community.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body, and an official copy of same be presented to La Casa Norte.
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