Little City honors State Senator Matt Murphy

Citing his outstanding leadership and support of people with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities, the board of directors of Little City Foundation honored state Sen. Matt Murphy on Monday, July 18, with its highest honor — the President’s Cabinet Award.

The award was presented to Murphy, a Republican from Palatine, by Ed Hockfield, executive vice president of the board, and Shawn E. Jeffers, executive director of Little City Foundation, during the board’s regular meeting at the Northern Trust Building in Chicago.

“Sen. Murphy has been a strong supporter of people with disabilities in many ways, but what truly shows his heart is the legislation he sponsored earlier this year that helped remove the words ‘retarded’ and ‘crippled’ from all the state’s statutes,” Hockfield said.

“He showed his leadership and sensitivity to our population by moving forward legislation that removes outdated words which are now offensive to many.”

The legislation, Senate Bill 1833, was introduced by Murphy in February and eventually was passed unanimously by the Senate, merged with the House version and sent in June to the governor for signing.

Hockfield also noted how Sen. Murphy provided funding in the state’s capital bill that grants $150,000 to Little City to launch a document destruction business.

The new business will provide several new jobs for people with disabilities at the organization’s Palatine campus.

“This is an honor for me to be recognized by Little City Foundation,” Murphy said. “I am extremely humbled by this award. It is always gratifying to achieve progress that meaningfully benefits our state’s developmentally disabled population.”

Little City’s board of directors periodically presents awards to outstanding individuals, groups or businesses that have made a significant impact to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

There are three levels of awards given by the board of directors, based upon the impact the individual or group makes to the community as a whole and to Little City.

Since the awards’ inception in 2007, the President’s Cabinet Award has been given only one other time. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart was the other recipient in 2008.

To support individuals with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities, visit www.littlecity.org/support.

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