1Designating June 7, 2014, as "CEA Day" in Pennsylvania.

2WHEREAS, The Commonwealth is proud to recognize those
3individuals and organizations who have brought joy and happiness
4to others and display excellence in an area; and

5WHEREAS, Community Empowerment Association, Inc., (CEA) was
6organized by Mr. T. Rashad Byrdsong in 1994 to address the needs
7of the children, youth, adults and families among African-
8American communities; and

9WHEREAS, CEA utilizes an Afrocentric strategy of integrating
10culture, social identity and empowerment techniques to
11effectively achieve desirable goals and objectives; and

12WHEREAS, The mission of CEA is to empower communities and
13families by providing high quality, well-managed and innovative
14services relating to family support, education, housing,
15economic development and employment; and

16WHEREAS, The core belief of CEA is that families develop best
 

1in a community with a sense of order, positive social 
2interaction and opportunities supported by positive adults; and

3WHEREAS, CEA's cultural frameworks are clearly unique to
4human and social service providers in the Pittsburgh region and
5CEA capitalizes on the powerful role that cultural influences
6play within African-American communities; and

7WHEREAS, As CEA's president and CEO, T. Rashad Byrdsong has
8successfully expanded the community-based organization from a
9$5,000 agency to generating over $15 million to provide
10programming that continues to address the effects of systemic
11issues associated with poverty, unemployment, substance abuse,
12violence, truancy and emotional and behavioral disturbances in
13youth; and

14WHEREAS, Since its inception in 1994, CEA has served over
1514,000 individuals, youth and families that reside in 48
16neighborhoods and are enrolled in 94 schools and 23 school
17districts within Pittsburgh and Allegheny county; and

18WHEREAS, CEA's distinctive programming works within four
19identified life-domains (individual, family, community and
20school) and is guided by eight core program components which
21history and research have shown impact family and community
22changes for self-sufficiency; and

23WHEREAS, In order to work with youth, parents and families to
24strengthen protective factors for keeping children healthy and
25well, CEA is focused on serving its participants through the
26core program components (personal growth and development,
27educational support, cultural enrichment, economic/career
28exploration, health and wellness, community service,
29recreational activities and family empowerment); and

30WHEREAS, Empowerment begins when these factors are positively
 

1addressed in consistent and resourceful ways, hence, as a 
2culturally responsive and community-driven social services 
3organization, CEA is accountable for community empowerment 
4through multi-sector collaboration; and

5WHEREAS, Accordingly, CEA is focused on providing violence
6prevention/intervention, an after-school learning center and
7summer camp programs, truancy prevention/intervention,
8therapeutic support and human services, social support groups,
9community outreach, pre-employment and employment skills
10training, employment for youth and adults and mentoring and
11family empowerment services; and

12WHEREAS, In part, to address unemployment in the African-
13American community, CEA also developed a landscaping and
14materials removal and hauling program; and

15WHEREAS, The CEA Maintenance Group is a business initiative
16created for the empowerment of qualified community residents for
17hire in maintaining residential and commercial properties
18through landscaping, painting, cleaning and hauling; and

19WHEREAS, In order to achieve continual refinement in the
20quality of client services, service outcomes and organizational
21performance, Excellence Research, Inc., (ERI) provides evidence-
22based evaluative research services designed to help optimize
23staff performance, client satisfaction and service outcomes; and

24WHEREAS, With guidance from ERI, which has more than 25 years
25of experience in conducting applied evaluative and
26organizational development research, CEA is continually focused
27on maximizing quality assurance, intervention effectiveness and
28organizational performance; therefore be it

29RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate June 7,
302014, as "CEA Day" in Pennsylvania; and be it further

1RESOLVED, The House of Representatives pay tribute to 
2Community Empowerment Association, Inc., and its founder, T. 
3Rashad Byrdsong, and offer heartfelt congratulations on the 20th 
4anniversary of this most worthy community–based organization; 
5and be it further

6RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk of the House of 
7Representatives transmit a copy of this resolution to Community 
8Empowerment Association, Inc., at 7120 Kelly Street, Pittsburgh, 
9PA 15208.