--- title: HR 585. Boy With a Ball; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr585 cite_as: HR 585, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr585 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr585.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr585/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71331 date: 2025-03-11 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr584.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr586.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr585.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 585 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-11 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Marvin Lim - Arlene Beckles - Matt Reeves - Jasmine Clark - Dewey McClain text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR585/2025 upstream_id: 2000327 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - commendation resolution - youth development - nonprofit organizations - Atlanta community programs --- # HR 585. Boy With a Ball; commend ## Text 25 LC 112 3323 House Resolution 585 By: Representatives Lim of the 98 th, Beckles of the 96 th, Reeves of the 99 th, Clark of the 108th, and McClain of the 109th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Boy With a Ball; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, Boy With a Ball was founded in 2001 by Executive Director Jamie Johnson in2 San Antonio, Texas, with the mission of developing young people and implementing scalable3 solutions to address community needs; and4 WHEREAS, since its inception, Boy With a Ball has launched over 50,000 youth as5 changemakers, inspiring citywide movements to revitalize strugg ling neighborhoods in6 Atlanta, across the United States, and in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East; and7 WHEREAS, the organization has further dedicated 435,380 volunteer hours, engaged 9,7868 volunteers, facilitated 723 small groups, and fostered 3,034 mentoring relationships; and9 WHEREAS, in a groundbreaking achievement, Boy With a Ball playe d a central role in10 developing the El Triangulo de la Solidaridad squatter's settlement in San José, Costa Rica,11 through its Love Your City initiative in partnership with the United States; and12 WHEREAS, in recognition of its outstanding contributions to social progress, Boy With a13 Ball was granted special consultative status with the United Na tions Economic and Social14 H. R. 585 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3323 Council in 2015 as well as the opportunity to present its Love Your City model at the World15 Bank's Annual Meetings in 2016; and16 WHEREAS, under the leadership of Jamie Johnson, Boy With a Ball has expanded to 1217 teams operating in seven countries, continuing to transform the lives of young people and the18 communities they serve; and19 WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this exemplar y organization be20 appropriately honored during this special time.21 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that22 the members of this body recognize and commend Boy With a Ball for its profound23 contributions to youth development and community transformation as well as extend best24 wishes for continued success.25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized26 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Boy27 With a Ball.28 H. R. 585 - 2 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution commends Boy With a Ball, a youth development nonprofit founded in 2001, for its community work in Atlanta and abroad. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives honoring Boy With a Ball, a nonprofit founded in 2001 by Jamie Johnson that works to develop young people and address community needs. The resolution recounts the organization's history, including its volunteer programs, its work revitalizing neighborhoods in Atlanta and internationally, and its role in a housing project in Costa Rica. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally recognizes and commends the organization for its work in youth development and community transformation, and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to the organization. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Boy With a Ball for its work in youth development and community transformation. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to the organization. - Does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute or allocate any state funding. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Boy With a Ball and its Executive Director Jamie Johnson. It also involves the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who must prepare the commemorative copy for distribution. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal or financial effect on Georgians; it is a symbolic honor. Its main practical consequence is that Boy With a Ball receives an official record of recognition from the Georgia House of Representatives. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe Boy With a Ball's founding in 2001, its mission, and volunteer statistics including 435,380 volunteer hours and 9,786 volunteers. - The resolution notes the organization's special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council granted in 2015. - The resolving clause formally commends the organization for its contributions to youth development and community transformation. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy available for distribution to Boy With a Ball. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-11) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-03-11) - Sponsors: Marvin Lim, Arlene Beckles, Matt Reeves, Jasmine Clark, Dewey McClain - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71331 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr585.md?full=1