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1		SENATE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3		learn of the death of Ernest Robert "Ernie" Jenkins, who passed
4		away on January 2, 2018; and
5		WHEREAS, Ernie Jenkins was born in Wayside, Mississippi to
6		Willie Jenkins and Corenia Dukes Watson on December 30, 1929;
7		he attended Bowman High School and graduated from Philander
8		Smith College with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology; he
9		served in the United States Air Force and completed the
10		requirements for a Master of Social Work at George Williams
11		College, now Aurora University; he married Gloria J. Jenkins;
12		and
13		WHEREAS, Ernie Jenkins started working as a group worker
14		for a branch of Chicago Youth Centers in 1956; he began his
15		career by organizing local communities, focusing on addressing
16		issues resulting from the problem of street gang violence and
17		related inner-city problems; during the late 60s, he became
18		involved with the National Training Laboratory (NTL) and became
19		a sensitivity (human relations) trainer; he eventually became
20		an independent consultant to management and a much sought after
21		voice on related issues; he was retained by the Daniel D.
22		Howard Association as a senior consultant for nearly 10 years
23		and conducted marketing research and human relations training

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1		throughout the United States and for several key institutions
2		in the City of Chicago; and
3		WHEREAS, Ernie Jenkins later served as Executive Director
4		for Programs West YMCA, Austin YMCA, and the Southside YMCA,
5		the latter of which he was instrumental in building; he joined
6		the staff of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago in November of
7		1971; his major emphasis was on organizing community groups for
8		self-help purposes; during his tenure as Vice President for
9		Community Development, he co-founded the Westside Association
10		for Community Action (WACA), where he served as CEO until 2009
11		after "Passing the Torch" to his daughters in 2008; and
12		WHEREAS, Ernie Jenkins received numerous honors and
13		awards, including Mt. Sinai Hospital's Distinguished
14		Afro-American Man of Distinction, Frontiers International's
15		Man of the Year Award, the Community Service Award from the
16		South Side Help Center, the Joe Puntil Award from the Illinois
17		Collaboration on Youth, the National Child Labor Committee
18		Lewis Hine Award for Professional Service to Children and
19		Youth, the Blackbook Award which honors one of ten outstanding
20		businessmen and professionals, the Passing the Torch Award from
21		the Black United Fund of Illinois, the Distinguished Service
22		Award from the George Williams College Alumni Association, the
23		Man of the Year Award from Philander Smith College, and a host
24		of other distinguished accomplishments and accolades; and

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1		WHEREAS, Ernie Jenkins was a member of the Chicago Temple
2		First United Methodist Church, the Sinai Community Institute,
3		the Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY), the Illinois Health
4		Facilities Planning Board, the National Association of Social
5		Workers, and the Lawndale Business and Local Development
6		Corporation; he was a member and founder of the Chicago Rat
7		Pack; and
8		WHEREAS, Ernie Jenkins was preceded in death by his wife,
9		Gloria; and
10		WHEREAS, Ernie Jenkins is survived by his daughters, Gloria
11		Corene Jenkins and Lola Jean Jenkins; therefore, be it
12		RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
13		ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
14		Ernest Robert "Ernie" Jenkins, and extend our sincere
15		condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved
16		him; and be it further
17		RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18		presented to the family of Ernie Jenkins as an expression of
19		our deepest sympathy.