LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending James Hodge, Chairman of the Board of
the Long Beach Martin Luther King Center, Pastor Isaac Melton, and the
Center for their extraordinary service following Superstorm Sandy

WHEREAS, The City of Long Beach, New York, was devastated by Superstorm
Sandy; and
WHEREAS, Although the Long Beach Martin Luther King Center on River-
side Boulevard in Long Beach sustained considerable damage from the
storm, it has been able to put part of the building to use as a distrib-
ution center to provide people with the largely donated supplies, food
and services they so desperately need during this time of recovery and
rebuilding; and
WHEREAS, The MLK Center has been receiving and gratefully accepting
donations from individuals, companies and organizations, but the needs
of the community are still overwhelming; and
WHEREAS, The MLK Center has been providing hot meals, at the Center
and within the community, for homebound seniors and other residents and
continues to reach out to the children, families, seniors, and all
others in the community who have been affected by the storm; and
WHEREAS, The City of Long Beach has commenced reconstruction of the
MLK Center at 615 Riverside Boulevard; while the building is temporarily
closed for repairs, the services it provides continue to be provided;
and
WHEREAS, Since Superstorm Sandy, the MLK Center has been a key point
of distribution for clothing and household items; additionally mobile
laundry and shower units for residents who have been without power and
appliances have been made available and, to facilitate service, the
distribution center and mobile facilities have been relocated to 515
Long Beach Road, SW; and
WHEREAS, The MLK Center is a critical part of the Long Beach communi-
ty, hosting countless programs and events; as the City moves into long-
term recovery, much needed repairs to the center will be made and, with
the restoration under way, the Center will soon be back serving the
community better than ever; and
WHEREAS, The leadership of Pastor Isaac R. Melton, Jr. and Chairman of
the MLK Center Board James Hodge has been exceptional and their contrib-
utions to the community, particularly in the aftermath of Sandy, have
been truly remarkable; and
WHEREAS, The MLK Center has been a beacon of inspiration after the
storm; with incredible resources flowing to the north park community,
the whole community has come together; and
WHEREAS, The MLK Center has been a welcoming gathering place where
people have come to share, to care, to encourage, and even to cry; the
storm is over and the community is moving forward; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend James Hodge, Chairman of the Board of the Long Beach Martin
Luther King Center, Pastor Isaac Melton, and the Center for their
extraordinary service following Superstorm Sandy; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to James Hodge, Pastor Isaac Melton, and the MLK Center for
their extraordinary service following Superstorm Sandy.