LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim February 7, 2014, as Statewide School Day to Help People in
Need in the State of New York

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor
Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim February 7, 2014, as Statewide School Day to
Help People in Need in the State of New York, in conjunction with the
observance of Worldwide School Day to Help People in Need; and
WHEREAS, A group of approximately 25 teachers and support staff in
western New York State, known as Educators Totally Committed (E.T.C.),
all of which are from the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District and
the Clarence School District, accompanied by students of all age groups
in these districts, have held an annual Sleepout on the first Friday of
February since 1988 in order to help people in need in the western New
York area; and
WHEREAS, E.T.C. has collected approximately $650,000 since 1988, along
with donations of food, clothes, and small furniture items; and
WHEREAS, 100% of the money, food, clothes, and small furniture items
that has been collected has gone to agencies in the western New York
area that help people in need; and
WHEREAS, E.T.C. has received expressions of appreciative thanks and
gratitude from the agencies that receive the donations of cash, food,
clothes, and small furniture items that they use to help people in need;
and
WHEREAS, E.T.C. members have no special expertise in fund raising or
marketing ability; and
WHEREAS, Any local E.T.C. affiliate has 100% jurisdiction over the
allocation of all money, food, clothes, and small furniture items that
it obtains from each sleepout; and
WHEREAS, There are people in need located in every neighborhood of our
world community; and
WHEREAS, People in need of basic everyday necessities are dependent
upon the compassionate concern and action of those who are able to help,
especially people who are able to help who are located in their own
community, as they have a clearer insight into the specific needs of the
people who need help; and
WHEREAS, Children are found in every neighborhood of our world commu-
nity; and
WHEREAS, Children who learn behaviors at an early age are likely to
have these behaviors continue with them into their adulthood; and
WHEREAS, Children who learn responsible social behaviors at an early
age, and who are raised in an environment that emphasizes concern for
others, are likely to have these responsible social behaviors continue
with them into their adulthood, to be utilized for the betterment of
their immediate community; and
WHEREAS, Children who are given an opportunity at an early age to
implement responsible social behavior to help people in need will become
adults who likely will do the same, and will pass this value on to their
own children and families, helping to create a world more aware of
people in need, with an attending compassion toward them; and
WHEREAS, E.T.C.'s three-phase responsible social program of awareness,
commitment, and compassionate action can be easily applied world-wide to
children in relation to the concerns of people in need in their own
immediate community; and
WHEREAS, The implementation of this responsible social three-phase
program can give children worldwide an opportunity to demonstrate

compassionate action in regards to the concerns of people in need in
their own immediate community; and
WHEREAS, Worldwide implementation of compassionate action shown to
people in need can promote and enhance social justice among our world's
peoples, enabling people in need to experience a better daily existence,
both in physical and psychological enhancements; and
WHEREAS, Children the world over who are either in some kind of a
formal school setting, or simply living in a community with other
adults, can manifestly exhibit concern for people in need by giving
either tangible donations, or as important, the giving of themselves and
their time to comfort and help people in need; and
WHEREAS, Children have an innate ability to outwardly demonstrate the
love in their hearts, and when this compassionate love is shown toward
people in need, it can bolster the outlook that the recipients have on
life, and can give them hope for a better tomorrow; and
WHEREAS, Children given the opportunity to come together on a partic-
ular, designated day can maximize the cumulative worldwide effect of
channeling their efforts to help people in need in their own community
and can use this day as a springboard to encourage people worldwide to
help people in need on a more regular basis throughout the entire year;
and
WHEREAS, Children worldwide can help emphasize to our world community
that a positive change in attitude toward people in need is more impor-
tant than the exchange of tangible donations, and that a change in the
former will lead to a responsible response in addressing the needs of
people who need help; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim February 7, 2014, as
Statewide School Day to Help People in Need in the State of New York, in
conjunction with the observance of Worldwide School Day to Help People
in Need; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.