Orange County NC Website
3 <br /> 1 4. Proclamations/ Resolutions/Special Presentations <br /> 2 <br /> 3 a. Proclamation Recognizing and Expressing Appreciation to Cordelia Heaney <br /> 4 The Board considered voting to approve a proclamation recognizing and expressing <br /> 5 appreciation to Cordelia Heaney for her devotion and service to the people of Orange County <br /> 6 during her tenure as executive director of the Compass Center and authorize the Chair to sign. <br /> 7 Commissioner Greene reviewed the background information below, and recognized two <br /> 8 members of the Compass Center, Chair of the Board of Directors Gillian Hare, and Associate <br /> 9 Director Susan Friedman, and then read the resolution: <br /> 10 <br /> 11 BACKGROUND: <br /> 12 After approximately 5 years of service to the Compass Center for Women and Children in <br /> 13 Orange County, Cordelia Heaney is stepping down as the Executive Director. Ms. Heaney has <br /> 14 served the Compass Center and the residents of Orange County providing support for victims of <br /> 15 domestic violence with temporary housing, crisis counseling, safety planning, support groups, <br /> 16 and the Triangle community with career and financial education and legal resources. <br /> 17 Ms. Heaney is leaving the Compass Center on January 31, 2021 for a new professional <br /> 18 opportunity in New Orleans. <br /> 19 <br /> 20 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PROCLAMATION <br /> 21 <br /> 22 RECOGNIZING AND EXPRESSING APPRECIATION TO CORDELIA HEANEY <br /> 23 <br /> 24 WHEREAS, the Compass Center for Women and Families in Orange County supports <br /> 25 victims of domestic violence with temporary housing, crisis counseling, safety planning, <br /> 26 support groups, and the Triangle community with career and financial education, legal <br /> 27 resources, and more; and <br /> 28 <br /> 29 WHEREAS, Cordelia Heaney joined the Compass Center as Executive Director in 2015; and <br /> 30 <br /> 31 WHEREAS, under Ms. Heaney's leadership, the Compass Center has changed lives by <br /> 32 helping people navigate their journey to health, self-respect, and safety, empowering <br /> 33 them and their families to lead productive lives; and <br /> 34 <br /> 35 WHEREAS, Ms. Heaney has promoted equal access to the services of the Center <br /> 36 regardless of gender, gender identity, or economic status; and <br /> 37 <br /> 38 WHEREAS, Ms. Heaney grew the Center's revenue from approximately $700,000 to <br /> 39 almost $2 million; and <br /> 40 <br /> 41 WHEREAS, Ms. Heaney has grown the organization to include its first Black African <br /> 42 American Communities Services Coordinator, a support group coordinator for the Latinx <br /> 43 Program, a full-time communications professional, a finance coordinator, and part-time <br /> 44 positons in economic advocacy and enhanced services; and <br /> 45 <br /> 46 WHEREAS, Ms. Heaney directed a major fundraising campaign to establish the Safe <br /> 47 Homes, New Lives program, a sustainable program for emergency shelter, restoring a <br /> 48 critical function that had been missing in the community for thirty years; and <br /> 49 <br /> 50 WHEREAS, this program will consist of six apartments in Orange County to serve as <br /> 51 temporary housing for up to 150 survivors of domestic violence a year, with a crisis <br />