Office of the Mayor
Proclamation
Lawrence, Kansas
WHEREAS: On any given night in America, there are more than 750,000 men, women, and children who are homeless; and
WHEREAS: In Lawrence, there are approximately 200 individuals who are on the streets or in homeless shelters each night; and
WHEREAS: Both nationally and locally, approximately one-third of the homeless have a serious mental illness; and
WHEREAS: Two trends are largely responsible for the rise in homelessness: a growing shortage of affordable rental housing and a simultaneous increase in poverty; and
WHEREAS: Research indicates in order to be effective in ending homelessness, communities will need to adopt evidence-based practices for services, treatment and prevention of homelessness, and establish partnerships with federal agencies, state and local governments, and public and private agencies to reduce barriers to services and increase resources and funding; and
WHEREAS: Members of communities from across the State of Kansas are gathering in Lawrence on October 13-14, 2004 for the Kansas Statewide Homeless Summit to discuss homelessness issues and solutions; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mike Rundle, Mayor of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, do hereby recognize the Kansas Statewide Homeless Summit on October 13-14, 2004, and proclaim the week of November14-20, 2004, as
in the City of Lawrence and urge all citizens of our City to join us in working to improve public awareness of the needs of the homeless and a better understanding of ways to end homelessness.
Mike Rundle, Mayor