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File #: 221030    Version: 0 Name:
Type: Resolution Status: ADOPTED
File created: 12/15/2022 In control: CITY COUNCIL
On agenda: Final action: 12/15/2022
Title: Designating Wednesday December 21, 2022 as National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day in the City of Philadelphia.
Sponsors: Councilmember Gauthier, Councilmember Brooks, Councilmember Vaughn, Councilmember Bass, Councilmember Gilmore Richardson, Councilmember Driscoll, Councilmember Thomas, Councilmember Phillips
Attachments: 1. Signature22103000

Title

Designating Wednesday December 21, 2022 as National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day in the City of Philadelphia.

 

Body

WHEREAS, the winter months impose extreme hardships on inadequately housed, low-income people in Philadelphia; and

 

WHEREAS, The spirit of the holiday season promotes compassion and provides an opportunity to reaffirm and renew the commitment to ending homelessness for all; and

 

WHEREAS, Homelessness is not just a local issue, but a national problem that calls for a national response; and

 

WHEREAS, The combined epidemics of COVID-19, the affordable housing shortage, the opioid crisis and racism call for creative solutions from all levels of government; and

 

WHEREAS, National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day is recognized on or around the first day of winter by the National Coalition for the Homeless and by more than 100 cities across the nation; and

 

WHEREAS, The National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council have designated December 21, 2022 as National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day; and

 

WHEREAS, Every year on National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, hundreds of Philadelphians gather to remember those homeless and formerly homeless Philadelphians who have died, and to call for an end to homelessness; and

 

WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Homeless Memorial Day Committee has planned a memorial event to honor and recognize homeless people who have experienced homelessness who have died during 2022 will be honored on Wednesday December 21, 2022; and

 

WHEREAS, The elimination of poverty and homelessness should be integral features of efforts to build and maintain a strong City and a strong nation; and

 

WHEREAS, By joining together to remember our lost neighbors, we can honor their lives by working to provide and expand effective solutions to homelessness in the City of Philadelphia, and build a truly just society for all people; now, therefore, be it

 

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby declares its commitment to promoting solutions that fundamentally break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.

 

FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby declares Wednesday December 21, 2022 as Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day in the City of Philadelphia, in recognition of the people who experienced homelessness in the past or have died on our streets or in our emergency shelter system from ailments or conditions directly or indirectly related to homelessness.

 

End