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Adding the Honorable Shirley M. Kitchen to the street signs on the block intersections of the 5000 block of North 13th Street between West Ruscomb Street and Lindley Avenue in recognition of Senator Kitchen’s tremendous service and contributions to the City of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Shirley M. Kitchen was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate on November 5, 1996 to represent the 3rd Senatorial District, and was the second African-American woman to serve in this legislative body; and
WHEREAS, Senator Kitchen, fueled by her decades of service as the Director of Constituent Services for Philadelphia City Council and her time as State Representative of the 181st Legislative District, immediately sprang into action as State Senator working to drive innovation, fair housing, equitable employment opportunities, equal pay for women, healthcare, racial equality, clean energy, and community and economic development; and
WHEREAS, Senator Kitchen made constituent services a cornerstone of her legislative offices, encouraging her staff to go beyond the call of duty to serve people and improve the quality of life for thousands of residents, with special attention to consumer financial issues including foreclosures, predatory lending, and economic stability; and
WHEREAS, Senator Kitchen served as a champion for incarcerated and returning citizens in her advocacy for their access to efficient programming, job preparedness training, adequate healthcare, and addiction treatment, as well as her sponsorship of Second Chance and record expungement legislation; and
WHEREAS, During her tenure, Senator Kitchen secured more than $500 million to spur community and economic development in her district, including three supermarkets, multiple shopping areas, and affordable quality housing; and
WHEREAS, Senator Kitchen went green long before it become a trend by introducing local residents to the Global Action Plan: Green Communities to Philadelphia, advocating for clean energy, advancing legislation to create the Green Work Force Training Program, and hosting countless energy conservation and weatherization workshops; and
WHEREAS, Senator Kitchen served on numerous committees during her tenure including; Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Policy, Transportation, Urban Affairs and Housing, and Veteran Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, as well as held leadership positions as Democratic Chair of the Public Health and Welfare Committee and Chairwoman of the Philadelphia Delegation to the State Senate for over a decade cumulatively; and
WHEREAS, In addition to being celebrated by her constituency, Senator Kitchen is also the recipient of numerous awards including the Distinguished Service-Community Impact Award from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in the Tri-State Region; and special appointments to several committees, including the Task Force for Working Families, Pennsylvania Leadership Academy, and the Green Ribbon Commission.
WHEREAS, The Honorable Shirley M. Kitchen retired from public office on Wednesday, November 30, 2016, as a true champion of the people, and a woman who never hesitated to wield her might on behalf of the underserved and underrepresented communities in the 3rd Senatorial District and the City of Philadelphia; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby adds the Honorable Shirley M. Kitchen to the street signs on the block intersections of the 5000 block of North 13th Street between West Ruscomb Street and Lindley Avenue in recognition of Senator Kitchen’s tremendous service and contributions to the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Honorable Shirley M. Kitchen as a sincere expression of the Philadelphia City Council’s respect, gratitude, and recognition.
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