Title
Recognizing and Honoring the Original Richard Allen Committee for its Dedication to Improving the Quality of Life for At-Risk Philadelphians Including Feeding the Hungry, Clothing Families through Clothing Drives and Mentoring Youth.
Body
WHEREAS, The Reverend Richard Allen, for whom The Richard Allen Homes in Philadelphia is named, and who also founded the Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, embodied a core principal and philosophy of self-help; and
WHEREAS, The Original Richard Allen Committee (ORAC), was established in the summer of 1990 by Richard Allen Homes' residents for reasons of nostalgia, socialization and friendship; and
WHEREAS, ORAC was also created as a response to prevailing negative, social and economic trends impacting minority and other at-risk Philadelphians; and
WHEREAS, ORAC is a broad-based non-profit educational and fundraising organization dedicated to the promotion of positive works and projects that will ultimately benefit society as a whole; and
WHEREAS, ORAC was established to help alleviate hunger and other economic strains of the community including the establishment of a scholarship fund and the development of a selection process to identify qualified students in need; and
WHEREAS, ORAC has focused its energies on the teachings of the, "Keepers of the Dream." These teachings prioritize support for at-risk youth, residents experiencing economic hardship, residents requiring critical and preventive healthcare and the continued bonding achieved through an annual picnic which provides a forum for honoring former and current residents; and
WHEREAS, The Original Richard Allen Committee has been successful in providing cultural experiences for youth, scholarships for students who have excelled in spite of adversities, and symposiums on topics including non-violent dispute resolution, just to name a few. Its cultural-based events have included field trips to Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church and the Afro-American M...
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