RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council (BYNC) is the country's oldest non-profit community organization and 2013 will mark its 75th Anniversary; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this event by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, The Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council (BYNC) is a community organization whose mission is to enhance the general welfare of all residents, organizations, and businesses by integrating social service and economic development programs; and
WHEREAS, The Back of the Yards neighborhood was originally part of the Town of Lake until its annexation by Chicago in 1889; and
WHREAS, The expansion of the neighborhood began in the mid-nineteenth century with the establishment ofthe Union Stockyards; and
WHEREAS, BY 1900, the neighborhood had been transformed into a series of Slavic enclaves, dominated by Poles, Czechs, Lithuanians, and Slovaks; and
WHEREAS, Joseph Meegan, the superintendent of Davis Square Park and Saul Alinkski, a professional organizer founded the BYNC in 1939 to be a unified voice for the neighborhood to improve the quality of life for residents and businesses alike; and
WHEREAS, In the early years, the BYNC forged a path as a confrontational, anti-establishment organization that often conflicted with the Stockyards' owners and the government; and
WHEREAS, Over the decades the community has evolved into a predominately Hispanic neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, The BYNC responded to the demographic, social, and economic changes of the neighborhood, by working closely with local businesses and elected officials to improve the conditions in the neighborhood and create new community programs; and
WHEREAS, Today the BYNC offers a variety of programs, including the Ballet Folklorico, a free senior citizen shuttle bus, a public computer lab with computer literacy training, GED classes taught in Spanish, ESL classes, an After School Tutoring program, senior home repair, senior advocacy, jo...
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