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Recognizing and honoring the members of The Links, Incorporated’s Philadelphia Chapter, Delaware Valley Chapter, and Penn Towne Chapter.
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WHEREAS, The Links, Incorporated was conceived when a small group of friends in 1946, led by co-founders Sara Strickland Scott and Margaret Hawkins of Philadelphia, organized a service-oriented women’s club. Today, their visionary actions have expanded from a modest group of nine women to a membership of more than 14,000 women of African descent in 286 Chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, and the Bahamas; and
WHEREAS, The Links, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry; and
WHEREAS, The Links, Inc.’s Core Values are Friendship, Integrity, Honesty, Service, Commitment, Family Relationships, Courage, Respect for Self and Others, Legacy, Confidentiality, Responsibility, and Accountability; and
WHEREAS, Links members contribute more than 950,000 documented hours of community service annually – strengthening their communities and enhancing the nation. The organization is the recipient of awards from the UN Association of New York and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation for its premier programs; and
WHEREAS, The outstanding programming of The Links, Inc. has five facets which include Services to Youth, The Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services, and Health and Human Services. The programs are implemented through strategies such as public information and education, economic development, and public policy campaigns; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Chapter of The Links, Inc. recognizes the importance and status of being the Founding Chapter and strives to maintain a level of excellence and commitment to the Philadelphia Community that comes with that responsibility; and
WHEREAS, Over 30 years ago, the Philadelphia Chapter adopted the M. Hall Stanton School. Then Mayor Wilson Goode helped make the adoption ceremony quite an event for the School District and the City. The school remained a part of the Chapter’s programming until its closing; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Chapter is proud to have among its membership the first African American First Lady of the City of Philadelphia, Link Alumna Velma W. Goode, who has been a member for 35 years. She spearheaded the creation of the Sarah Scott Academic Scholarship, which has supported numerous girls since its creation in 1994. She also served as Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice President of the Chapter; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Chapter currently supports many initiatives throughout the City, but its foci is on the following programs: 1) a partnership with Paul Robeson High School for the Human Services, with a four-year bi-weekly program that began in 2015 with a cohort of then 9th grade female students, 2) a partnership with the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia in the adoption of a “safe house” for women wanting to escape from human trafficking and sex exploitation, and 3) the awarding of scholarships each year in the name of the Founders and donations to HBCUs; and
WHEREAS, The Delaware Valley Chapter of The Links, Inc. was officially chartered and installed on November 21, 1964 under the sponsorship of the Founding Philadelphia Chapter and became the second Links chapter in the Greater Philadelphia Metro Area. The 11 founding members directed their programming to expand community outreach through the Links’ facets to underserved people of African Ancestry living in Philadelphia, Delaware, Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties; and
WHREREAS, Over the past five decades, the Delaware Valley Chapter’s membership has grown to over 50 members who have instituted programming that includes, but is not limited to voter registration and education drives, anti-bullying curriculum development, supplementary art education workshops, refurbishment of a historic building on the National Registry of the Underground Railroad, and health screenings. The Delaware Valley Chapter also provides assistance to HBCUs, specifically Cheyney University and Lincoln University in the Philadelphia Region, through career employability workshops and emergency grants in aid; and
WHEREAS, One of the biggest events run by The Links, Inc. is an annual food packaging project formally known as STOP Hunger Now. The event is hosted by the Delaware Valley Chapter, and other area Chapters also participate. To date, Links have packaged over 100,000 meals to combat hunger in developing nations in the Caribbean and Africa; and
WHEREAS, The Penn Towne Chapter of The Links, Inc. was chartered in Philadelphia on September 6, 1975 by 25 dynamic friends and is known for its dynamic programming, fundraising acumen, and its dedication to improving opportunities for women and youth; and
WHEREAS, The Penn Towne Chapter is currently composed of over 60 remarkable women who are most well-known for their strategic alliance with Methodist Services, where they provide programming on health care, self-care, parenting skills, anti-bullying, and promoting healthy diet and exercise to the women and children, and their Together for West Philadelphia Initiative in partnership with Methodist Services & Lankenau Hospital; and
WHEREAS, The members of The Links, Inc. are influential decision makers and opinion leaders. The Links, Inc. has attracted many distinguished women who are individual achievers and have made a difference in their communities and the world. They are business and civic leaders, role models, mentors, activists, and volunteers who work toward a common vision by engaging like-minded organizations and individuals for partnership; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby recognizes and honors the members of The Links, Incorporated’s Philadelphia Chapter, Delaware Valley Chapter, and Penn Towne Chapter.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution shall be presented to The Links, Inc.’s Philadelphia Chapter, Delaware Valley Chapter, and Penn Towne Chapter as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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