Read the full stored bill text
Commending David Cooper.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2026
Agreed to by the Senate, March 11, 2026
WHEREAS, from 2018 to 2026, David Cooper helped the Thurman Brisben Center in Fredericksburg more effectively serve families with children and single adults experiencing homelessness through his transformative leadership as chief executive officer; and
WHEREAS, under David Cooper's leadership, the Thurman Brisben Center, commonly known as the Brisben Center, established programs to increase incomes, secure employment, and resolve the underlying causes of Virginians' homelessness; and
WHEREAS, David Cooper developed meaningful programs to help clients demonstrate income and employment gains, both solid indicators of progress toward economic self-sufficiency; and
WHEREAS, during David Cooper's tenure, the Brisben Center developed a theory of change grounded in three life-changing impacts: livable-wage income, sustained re-housing, and decreased returns to shelter; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, David Cooper oversaw the installation of a 115-kilowatt photovoltaic system, the largest rooftop solar array in Fredericksburg, which has significantly decreased the Brisben Center's energy costs; and
WHEREAS, the Brisben Center's congregate facility sheltered unhoused individuals throughout the entire COVID-19 pandemic, and because of prudent measures implemented by David Cooper and his staff, the center did not experience a single death or serious illness during that time; and
WHEREAS, David Cooper upheld the Brisben Center's longstanding, grassroots approach to community care through effective programs, exceptional volunteerism, and the cultivation of local financial support; and
WHEREAS, through his commitment to servant leadership and dedication to community fellowship, David Cooper ensured that people of all faiths and backgrounds continued working together to serve and support neighbors in need; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend David Cooper for his tenure as chief executive officer of the Thurman Brisben Center; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to David Cooper as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his legacy of service to the Fredericksburg community.