SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 337 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled January 5, 2007 Commending Central Fairfax Services, Inc. on the occasion of its 35th anniversary. ---------- Patron-- Devolites Davis ----------

WHEREAS, Central Fairfax Services, Inc. is a private, nonprofit, community-based organization that provides excellent services, programs, and diverse self-help opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and

WHEREAS, even though many of these persons with disabilities are nonverbal and nonambulatory, Central Fairfax Services, Inc. (CFS) always focuses on their individual abilities rather than their disabilities; and

WHEREAS, established in 1969, CSF was founded as a small pilot project by the parents of four adults with disabilities with the direction of the Association for Retarded Citizens Northern Virginia (The Arc); the assistance of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fairfax, which donated office space; and the support of parent volunteers and one paid staff member; and

WHEREAS, CSF was incorporated in 1972 as a nonprofit organization and it has grown to an experienced staff of 25 people, paid for by public funds, supplemented by donations from generous supporters, and governed by an active volunteer board of directors; and

WHEREAS, the persons in need served by CFS are among the most fragile and vulnerable members of the disabled community and CFS nurses are fully equipped to deal with these citizens that often have multiple disabilities or require skilled nursing care; and

WHEREAS, a pioneer in day support and critical medical care for people in need, CFS provides innovative and comprehensive services to adults with disabilities and was the first day support organization to serve the residents of the Northern Virginia Training Center and their families; and

WHEREAS, the outstanding volunteers and staff members of CFS have received numerous awards and accolades for their commitment to excellence and their dedication to citizens in need and the Commission for the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) awarded the nonprofit with its maximum three-year accreditation, praising its “well-qualified, highly motivated, dedicated, and long-tenured staff”; and

WHEREAS, CFS’s mission is to maintain the highest possible standards of care and integrity in meeting the unique needs of each client, emphasizing the goals of participation, self-direction, and self-reliance; and

WHEREAS, CFS helps adults with disabilities to increase their quality of life by providing services that enable them to make good choices, realize their potential, and to live in a healthy and safe environment; and

WHEREAS, the driving force for CFS volunteers and staff members is the firm belief that each person, no matter what their disabilities might be, is able to make a difference in their community and a contribution to society; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly commend and congratulate Central Fairfax Services, Inc. for its many contributions and outstanding service to the community of Fairfax on the occasion of its 35th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Central Fairfax Services, Inc. as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude to the organization for its commitment to citizens in need in the Commonwealth.