Bill Text: PA HR492 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizing Counseling Or Referral Assistance (CORA) Services, a private, nonprofit organization offering professional human services to children, youth and their families, for its four decades of service to the people of Philadelphia.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 20-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-11-01 - Adopted (195-0) [HR492 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR492-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2677
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 492 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY B. BOYLE, McGEEHAN, BISHOP, K. BOYLE, V. BROWN, BROWNLEE, COHEN, CURRY, DONATUCCI, JOHNSON, JOSEPHS, W. KELLER, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, PARKER, PAYTON, ROEBUCK, THOMAS, WILLIAMS AND YOUNGBLOOD, NOVEMBER 1, 2011
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, NOVEMBER 1, 2011
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing Counseling Or Referral Assistance (CORA) Services, a
private, nonprofit organization offering professional human
services to children, youth and their families, for its four
decades of service to the people of Philadelphia.
WHEREAS, In 1971, with the investment and support of the Good
Shepherd Sisters and funded by a small State grant, Sister M.
Charity Kohl founded CORA Services as a community-based
counseling center in the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Focusing on direct, individualized early intervention
and prevention services to at-risk school-age children and their
families, CORA Services helped over 600 families in the
organization’s first year, with a budget of just $135,000; and
WHEREAS, In 1975, the agency began offering services to all
nonpublic school students in lower and upper Northeast
Philadelphia and over the next few years, established a
preschool program, a summer camp and GED services for high
school dropouts; and
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WHEREAS, Rooted in a tradition of care and compassion, the
mission of CORA Services is to assist children, youth and families
experiencing emotional, academic and social challenges which impede
development and productivity; and
WHEREAS, Today, with a budget of over $11,000,000, CORA Services
supports a professional staff of more than 200 educators,
counselors, psychologists and speech and language teachers and
serves children and families in more than 100 nonpublic schools and
public schools, recreation centers and community centers; and
WHEREAS, More than 25,000 families annually participate in
one or more of the services offered through five major CORA
service programs - Nonpublic School Services, Community
Services, Early Years Preschool Program, The Neumann Center and
Out of School Services; and
WHEREAS, Together, these programs provide a wide variety of
services, including day care, educational and speech
remediation, individual, group and family counseling, drug and
alcohol rehabilitation and career counseling, and were each
developed in response to a demonstrated need in the community;
and
WHEREAS, Most recently, CORA Services has established after-
school programs and community-based organizing efforts in the
Frankford and Olney neighborhoods of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The organization is currently developing
relationships with a number of charter schools in the city,
offering CORA programs while looking for new ways to assist
students; and
WHEREAS, Recent efforts to help children and families deal
with autism and other spectrum disorders find CORA staff working
with programs that support those needs; and
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WHEREAS, As a leading nonprofit agency, CORA Services has
assisted hundreds of thousands of clients with professional
guidance, providing new perspectives, direction, empowerment and
hope for children, youth and families; and
WHEREAS, The year 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of CORA
Services; and
WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper that the House of
Representatives recognize an organization that is committed to
helping children, youth and families with problems by intervening
within the interlocking environment of home, school, culture and
community; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize and
commend Counseling Or Referral Assistance (CORA) Services for
its four decades of service to the children and families of
Philadelphia; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
CORA Services, Inc., 8540 Verree Road, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19111.
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