HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-19-2021; 4-a - Proclamation Recognizing and Expressing Appreciation to Cordelia Heaney 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: January 19, 2021
Action Agenda
Item No. 4-a
SUBJECT: Proclamation Recognizing and Expressing Appreciation to Cordelia Heaney
DEPARTMENT: County Commissioners
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Proclamation Commissioner Sally Greene, 919-245-
2130
Greg Wilder, 919-245-2300
PURPOSE: To consider a proclamation recognizing and expressing gratitude to Cordelia Heaney
for her devotion and service to the people of Orange County.
BACKGROUND: After approximately 5 years of service to the Compass Center for Women and
Children in Orange County, Cordelia Heaney is stepping down as the Executive Director.
Ms. Heaney has served the Compass Center and the residents of Orange County providing
support for victims of domestic violence with temporary housing, crisis counseling, safety
planning, support groups, and the Triangle community with career and financial education and
legal resources.
Ms. Heaney is leaving the Compass Center on January 31, 2021 for a new professional
opportunity in New Orleans.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with consideration of the
proclamation.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal impact associated
with consideration of the proclamation.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: There is no Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal
impact associated with consideration of the proclamation.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve and authorize the
Chair to sign the attached proclamation recognizing and expressing appreciation to Cordelia
Heaney for her service to the people of Orange County and wishing her well in her future
endeavors.
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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING AND EXPRESSING APPRECIATION
TO CORDELIA HEANEY
WHEREAS, the Compass Center for Women and Families in Orange County supports
victims of domestic violence with temporary housing, crisis counseling, safety planning,
support groups, and the Triangle community with career and financial education, legal
resources, and more; and
WHEREAS, Cordelia Heaney joined the Compass Center as Executive Director in 2015;
and
WHEREAS, under Ms. Heaney's leadership, the Compass Center has changed lives by
helping people navigate their journey to health, self-respect, and safety, empowering
them and their families to lead productive lives; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Heaney has promoted equal access to the services of the Center
regardless of gender, gender identity, or economic status; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Heaney grew the Center's revenue from approximately $700,000 to
almost $2 million; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Heaney has grown the organization to include its first Black African
American Communities Services Coordinator, a support group coordinator for the Latinx
Program, a full-time communications professional, a finance coordinator, and part-time
positons in economic advocacy and enhanced services; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Heaney directed a major fundraising campaign to establish the Safe
Homes, New Lives program, a sustainable program for emergency shelter, restoring a
critical function that had been missing in the community for thirty years; and
WHEREAS, this program will consist of six apartments in Orange County to serve as
temporary housing for up to 150 survivors of domestic violence a year, with a crisis
housing coordinator on staff to coordinate and facilitate the work; and
WHEREAS, even given the difficult circumstances of the pandemic, the program has
opened its first apartment, and it has reached its $675,000 goal for the first three
apartments and is working toward the fourth; and
WHEREAS, the rationale for this "scattered housing" approach is based on extensive
research conducted at Ms. Heaney's behest by Professor Rebecca Macy and a team
from the UNC School of Social Work; and
WHEREAS, the "scattered housing" approach shares overlapping goals with Orange
County's practice of "rapid rehousing" for people experiencing homelessness, and Ms.
Heaney has worked in collaboration with the Partnership to End Homelessness on the
issue of housing; and
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WHEREAS, Ms. Heaney is leaving the Compass Center on January 31, 2021 to return
to New Orleans for a new professional opportunity;
NOW THEREFORE we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby
recognize and express deep appreciation, gratitude, and respect for Cordelia Heaney for
her dedicated leadership and her service to the people of Orange County, and we wish
her all the best in her future endeavors.
This the 19t" day of January, 2021.
Renee Price, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners