Title
WHEREAS, on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 Council of the City of Pittsburgh wishes to honor Mr. Keith Murphy as the Executive Director of the Bethany House Academy/Ministry located in the Northview Heights and St. Clair Village Housing Communities in Pittsburgh for 14 years; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Murphy is the Founder of the Positive Outcomes With Excuses Removed (P.O.W.E.R). Program which builds character in children, youth and young adults, providing them with life-long skills; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Murphy's focus as Executive Director of the Bethany House Academy/Ministry is on the importance of the spiritual, historical and cultural relevance of the past, present and future of the African/American experience, teaching youth Swahili/African Cultural value systems; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Murphy is committed to serving those who are economically impoverished and overwhelmed with problems associated with substance abuse, lack of employment, low academic performance, delinquency and other destructive activities prevalent in our communities; and,
WHEREAS, in Northview Heights and St. Clair Village he oversees the programs offering Arts and Crafts, Study/Tutorial Programs; Computer Literacy Training; Recreation Programs; Entrepreneur Training; Video/Photography Courses; Bible Study and Emergency Food Assistance; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Murphy has utilized his extensive educational experience to provide presentations, lectures and workshops to the community, training residents on building better family structures and social relationships, and preparing youth to examine the internal and external problems of the at-large African American community.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby commend Mr. Keith Murphy, Executive Director of Bethany House Academy/Ministry in Northview Heights and St. Clair Village, for assisting residents of the African American community in developing personal goals to build good citizenship and for a better quality of life and further extends best wishes for his continued success in his commitment to teach his fellow man that "it takes a healthy community to raise a healthy child."