Resolution 140150

..Title Honoring and recognizing Pastor Brian Jenkins, Founder and Executive Director of Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc., for his courage, drive, and commitment to fighting homelessness and poverty in the City of Philadelphia. ..Body WHEREAS, Pastor Brian Jenkins was born in the Tasker Projects in South Philadelphia in 1971; and WHEREAS, Pastor Jenkins, abandoned by his father at birth, losing his mother by death at the age of five and a product of the Department of Human Services of Philadelphia was adopted and raised in the foster home of Theresa Jemison and the late Willie Jemison, Jr.; and WHEREAS, In 1991 Pastor Jenkins was united in marriage to Shandai Moore-Jenkins who later gave birth to their twin boys, David and Jonathan; and WHEREAS, In 1996, due to an encounter with a homeless man, Brian and his wife Shandai were inspired to create a meal initiative at 16th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which later led to them creating Chosen 300 Ministries, bringing people of different backgrounds together to meet the needs of the less fortunate; and WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Pastor Jenkins, Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc. has engaged 87 churches/organizations and more than 1,700 volunteers in year round services to the at-risk; and WHEREAS, Since its inception in 1996, Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc. has distributed more than 1,000,000 meals to the homeless of Center City Philadelphia, West Philadelphia and Pottstown; and WHEREAS, Chosen 300 has also developed 16 international food distribution centers in Guyana, Jamaica, India, Nigeria, South Africa and Liberia; providing more than 300,000 lbs of food each year; and WHEREAS, In 2003, Chosen 300 worked closely with Council and former Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street, to come up with an effective compromise to increase indoor meal programs while maintaining outdoor meal services for the homeless; and WHEREAS, Chosen 300's Spring Garden location has afforded more than 50 religious institutions the ability to participate in indoor meal service for the homeless and at-risk, leading to more than 100,000 meals distributed each year to those in need; and WHEREAS, In 2012 Chosen 300 played an integral role in combating the ban on the outdoor serving of meals to the homeless which resulted in an injunction against the ordinance in Federal Court; and WHEREAS, Chosen 300 is developing a new West Philadelphia location at Haverford & Lancaster Avenues to provide more services to homeless and impoverished families in Philadelphia; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the City Council of Philadelphia honors and recognizes Pastor Brian Jenkins, Founder and Executive Director of Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc., for his courage, drive, and commitment to fighting homelessness and poverty in the City of Philadelphia. FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented as a sincere expression of City Council's appreciation and recognition. ..End