2016 -- S 2912

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LC005662

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING JONATHAN KLINKER ON BEING NAMED THE NEWPORT DAILY NEWS

2016 OUTSTANDING YOUTH VOLUNTEER

     Introduced By: Senators Paiva Weed, DiPalma, Felag, Pagliarini, and Lombardi

     Date Introduced: April 14, 2016

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, Jonathan Klinker is a young man who is passionate about the problem of

childhood poverty and works tirelessly to find innovative ways to assist those communities; and

     WHEREAS, Jonathan is currently a junior at Bishop Connolly High School in Fall River,

Massachusetts, where he serves as a peer minister, a student ambassador and as the Vice-

President of his class. He is also an Eagle Scout, volunteers at a soup kitchen in Fall River, and

has been an altar server at St. Christopher's Church in Tiverton for the past nine years; and

     WHEREAS, Jonathan began learning about the extent of childhood poverty locally after

his Boy Scout troop hosted a speech by Mr. James P. Stevens, the founder of GiftstoGive

Philanthropy, who spoke about the efforts of his foundation to help these children in the local

community. Jonathan was very inspired by this speech and after learning that there were 3,500

children living in poverty in the South Coast region, he and his troop got to work organizing a

clothing drive and started a new program to give gifts to needy children on their birthdays; and

     WHEREAS, Thanks to the tireless work done by Jonathan, the GiftsToGive program

expanded from Massachusetts into Rhode Island. GiftsToGive now supports local Rhode Island

organizations such as the East Bay Community Action Program and Child & Family, and thanks

to Jonathan's efforts, more than 600 children living in poverty in Newport County have received

material assistance; and

     WHEREAS, Jonathan has truly been an inspiration to all those who have gotten to know

him and have seen first-hand his passionate devotion in support of alleviating and eradicating

childhood poverty here in Rhode Island. Alice Forry, a GiftsToGive donor, called Jonathan

inspirational and a most impressive young man and went on to say that "It's inspiring about how

he talks about giving to the community. It's not just that he's out doing it. Jonathan really feels it.

He really feels the rewards"; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby congratulates Jonathan Klinker on being named the Newport Daily News 2016

Outstanding Youth Volunteer; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Jonathan Klinker.

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