LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the William F. Ryan Community Health
Network upon the occasion of its 47th Anniversary Gala on June 11, 2014

WHEREAS, The quality and character of life in this Nation, and the great
State of New York, is reflective of the purposeful lives and good works
of those compassionate and civic-minded community members who dedicate
their lives and careers to the service of others; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
the William F. Ryan Community Health Network upon the occasion of its
47th Anniversary Gala, to be held on Wednesday, June 11, 2014, at
Guastavino's Restaurant in Manhattan; and
WHEREAS, At this auspicious event, the William F. Ryan Community
Health Network will honor Kenneth L. Davis, MD, CEO and President of
Mount Sinai Health System; Direct Relief International; and Rosie Perez,
actor, author, and community activist; and
WHEREAS, In addition, the William F. Ryan Community Health Network
will pay tribute to its President and CEO Barbra E. Minch, who will be
retiring after 35 years of dedicated service; and
WHEREAS, The mission of the William F. Ryan Community Health Network
is to provide medically uninsured and underserved children, families,
adults and seniors in New York City with quality comprehensive health
care; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1967 as a federally-funded, single-site demon-
stration project in Northern Manhattan, this worthy organization now
operates 17 accessible sites, including William F. Ryan Community Health
Center, which serves Manhattan's Upper West Side, Central Harlem and
Washington Heights; the Ryan-NENA Community Health Center on the Lower
East Side; the Ryan/Chelsea-Clinton Community Health Center, which
serves the midtown area, and the Thelma C. Davidson Adair, William F.
Ryan Community Health Center in Central Harlem; and
WHEREAS, Other sites include a Women and Children's Center, six
school-based health clinics, four transitional shelters and one mental
health rehabilitation center; the organization also operates a fully-e-
quipped medical van; and
WHEREAS, The William F. Ryan Community Health Network carries on the
tradition of advocacy on behalf of medically underserved patients begun
by the late Congressman, William F. Ryan, who first stated, "health care
is a right, not a privilege," and was instrumental in the organization's
development, and in the national Community Health Center movement; and
WHEREAS, The William F. Ryan Community Health Network currently serves
over 50,000 patients with over 250,000 annual visits throughout New York
City; over the past year there has been a substantial increase in the
number of uninsured individuals, making the Network's work all the more
essential to community well-being; and
WHEREAS, This vital health network has flourished under the sparkling
leadership of Barbra E. Minch, who joined the William F. Ryan Community
Health Center as an administrator, became Deputy Director and in 1995,
was appointed Executive Director by the Board of Directors; in 2001, she
was appointed President and CEO; and
WHEREAS, Barbra Minch has been the First Vice Chair of the Board of
Directors of the Community Health Care Association of New York State
(CHCANYS) and is an active member of the National Association of Commu-
nity Health Centers (NACHC); she also is a member of the Health Care
Executive Forum, and served on the Board of Trustees of the Job Security
Fund of the 1199/SEIU Employment Training and Job Security Program; this
accomplished woman played an integral role in helping to establish the

Coalition to Preserve Access to Community-Based Health Care Providers,
which set the stage for direct funding to Community Health Centers in
New York State; much lauded for her excellent work and dedication in the
Community Health Center movement, Barbra E. Minch was inducted into the
National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) Hall of Fame;
and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that when organiza-
tions and individuals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought
to our attention it is appropriate to publicly proclaim and commend
those organizations for the edification and emulation of others; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the William F. Ryan Community Health Network upon the occasion
of its 47th Anniversary Gala; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the William F. Ryan Community Health Network, and Barbra E.
Minch.