LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 125th Anniversary of Heritage
Ministries

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to recognize and
celebrate the long histories and dedicated service of certain exemplary
institutions whose purpose is to fulfill the needs of the citizenry and
communities of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the
125th Anniversary of Heritage Ministries, located in Jamestown, New
York; and
WHEREAS, Heritage Ministries began its important role as a provider of
services to the people of Chautauqua County with the establishment of
"The Orphanage and Home of the Free Methodist Church," an orphanage and
home for older adults in 1886; and
WHEREAS, In 1901, a new building specifically for senior citizens was
built; this facility was expanded over the next several years to better
meet the needs of its residents; and
WHEREAS, Education for orphanage children was offered beginning in
1903; the General Conference of The Free Methodist Church officially
recognized "The Orphanage and Home" as an accredited institution in
1907; the day school was operated until 1955; and
WHEREAS, In 1909, the organization officially changed its name to "The
Gerry Homes," by which it was known until 2002; the mission of The Gerry
Homes, adopted in 1959, was "to establish, operate and maintain a home
for aged persons; to establish, operate and maintain a home for the
destitute, abandoned, neglected and dependent children"; and
WHEREAS, The Gerry Homes discontinued services at its Children's Home
in 1965, due to changes in policies and government regulations creating
foster care; and
WHEREAS, Beginning in 1967, The Gerry Homes changed its approach to
care for retirees on one campus, including a nursing home, congregate
living, apartments and cottage-style homes, creating a continuing care
retirement community; the Heritage Village Health Care Center opened on
the campus in 1971; and
WHEREAS, The Gerry Homes again expanded in 1995 with two health care
centers in the Jamestown area, Heritage Park and Heritage Green; and
WHEREAS, In 2000, The Gerry Homes expanded into South Carolina, serv-
ing senior citizens in independent living homes and apartments, assisted
living apartments and in a 40-bed health care center; and
WHEREAS, Heritage Park Health Care Center began renovations and an
upgrade to its facilities in 2001, while the Heritage Green Health Care
Center broke ground for a new wing, which included new beds, a multi-
purpose auditorium, chapel, and suites for occupational and physical
therapy; and
WHEREAS, With the opening of its Heritage House Childcare and Learning
Center in 2002, The Gerry Homes once again provided a critical service
for children in Chautauqua County, serving 50 children between the ages
of six weeks and five years in a nontraditional childcare center; and
WHEREAS, The Gerry Center changed its name to "The Heritage Group" in
2002, to better reflect the services provided to individuals and fami-
lies through its human service ministries; and
WHEREAS, In 2006, Heritage Green Health Care Center opened its Outpa-
tient Therapy Clinic; in addition, as the organization's focus of care
in nursing homes shifted toward short-term rehabilitation and skilled
nursing services, it replaced "Health Care Center" with "Rehab and
Skilled Nursing" for its programs; and

WHEREAS, The name of the organization was once again changed in 2008,
to the current "Heritage Ministries" when ownership was transferred to
the not-for-profit organization Heritage Village Rehab & Skilled Nurs-
ing, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to publicly recog-
nize and honor milestones in the history of organizations that provide
critical social services to their communities in this great Empire
State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 125th Anniversary of Heritage Ministries; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Heritage Ministries.