| 1 | House Memorial |
| 2 | A memorial to the Congress of the United States, urging |
| 3 | Congress to support the passage of the Calling for 2-1-1 |
| 4 | Act of 2003. |
| 5 |
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| 6 | WHEREAS, 2-1-1 provides access to more than 2,400 social |
| 7 | programs and services in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties, |
| 8 | including domestic abuse programs, clothing and furniture needs, |
| 9 | youth programs, services for people with disabilities, volunteer |
| 10 | opportunities, service for elders, housing assistance, child |
| 11 | care, and counseling services, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, since its launch at the Heart of Florida United |
| 13 | Way headquarters in July 2003, 2-1-1 has helped more than 40,000 |
| 14 | Orange, Osceola, and Seminole County residents gain access to |
| 15 | vital health and human services, and |
| 16 | WHEREAS, 2-1-1 is the national abbreviated dialing code for |
| 17 | free access to health and human services information and |
| 18 | referral and is a universally recognizable number that makes a |
| 19 | critical connection between individuals and families seeking |
| 20 | services and the appropriate community-based organizations and |
| 21 | government agencies, and |
| 22 | WHEREAS, as the leading source of information and referrals |
| 23 | in Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties, 2-1-1 serves as the |
| 24 | link between those who need help and the more than 435 local |
| 25 | charities that can provide it, encourages prevention of human |
| 26 | service emergencies, and fosters self-sufficiency, and |
| 27 | WHEREAS, prior to the introduction of the federal Calling |
| 28 | for 2-1-1 Act on September 17, 2003, United Way of America |
| 29 | worked with Senator Dole (R-NC), Senator Clinton (D-NY), |
| 30 | Representative Burr (R-NC), and Representative Eshoo (D-CA) to |
| 31 | draft bipartisan legislation that will authorize a dedicated |
| 32 | federal funding source to support 2-1-1 development nationwide, |
| 33 | and |
| 34 | WHEREAS, the proposed legislation?s matching funds would |
| 35 | allow the local 2-1-1 to leverage the generous support it has |
| 36 | received from many of Central Florida?s leading organizations, |
| 37 | thereby providing better service to local residents, and |
| 38 | WHEREAS, examples of improvements that the Calling for 2-1- |
| 39 | 1 Act would facilitate include expanding 2-1-1?s local service |
| 40 | by implementing a disaster plan, providing three-digit calling |
| 41 | access to cell phone users, increasing call handling capacity, |
| 42 | setting up an overflow system for use during times of crisis, |
| 43 | and increasing the efficiency of operations, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 44 |
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| 45 | Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 46 |
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| 47 | That the Congress of the United States is requested to pass |
| 48 | the Calling for 2-1-1 Act of 2003. |
| 49 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be |
| 50 | dispatched to the President of the United States, to the |
| 51 | President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the |
| 52 | United States House of Representatives, and to each member of |
| 53 | the Florida delegation to the United States Congress. |