SAN ANTONIO - The 5th
National Summit on Fatherhood, "New Frontiers in Fatherhood" will be held June
10-12, 2002 in San Antonio, Texas at the Hyatt Riverwalk. Presented by the National
Fatherhood Initiative, (NFI) topics will include: Gender Communication, Building Local
Initiatives and Becoming an NFI Affiliate, Creating a Resource Center and an Introduction
to Fatherhood Certification, Social Marketing, Outcomes Based Measurements of Fatherhood
Programs, Working with Mothers to Promote Responsible Fatherhood, Faith Community and
Fatherhood, Cutting Edge Fatherhood Research, Jobs and Family Sustaining Income Support
Programs, Marriage Education and Promotion in Fatherhood Programs, Women's Involvement in
the Fatherhood Movement, Urban Fatherhood Initiatives, Fathers of Special Needs Children,
How to Diversify Your Funding Sources, Father Involvement in Schools, Incarcerated and
Transitioning Fathers, Foundations in Fatherhood, Working with Military Families,
Hispanic/Latino Fatherhood Curriculum and Dr. Dad and Father Involvement in Children's
Health Issues.
The National Fatherhood Initiative was created in 1994 to counter the growing problem of
fatherlessness by stimulating a broad-based social movement to restore responsible
fatherhood as a national priority. With the support and involvement of such notable
Americans as former U.S. Education Secretary William Bennett, actor James Earl Jones, and
pollster George Gallup, NFI developed a three part strategy for ensuring that more
children grow up with a loving father. Public Education.
NFI pursues an aggressive public education campaign highlighting the importance of fathers
to the well-being of children and communities. In addition, they have developed, in
conjunction with the Ad Council, a national public service announcement (PSA) campaign to
raise the awareness of every American that fathers make unique and irreplaceable
contributions to the lives of their children, and that collectively we need to encourage
and support men to be good and responsible fathers. One of these ads has appeared nearly a
half dozen times in USA Today. In partnership with Radio America, they have also developed
a series of two dozen radio PSAs featuring such prominent Americans as former HUD
Secretary Jack Kemp, Senator Dan Coats, General Colin Powell, Senator Bill Bradley, former
Seattle Seahawk and Congressman Steve Largent, and Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.
National & Local
Coalitions.
NFI is organizing coalitions of national and local community leaders committed to creating
a culture that values and supports good fathers. In October of 1994, NFI convened the
first ever National Summit on Fatherhood in Dallas, Texas, where hundreds of the nation's
civic, business, and philanthropic leaders gathered to begin building a national consensus
on the need to quickly reduce father absence. They then organized and hosted an interfaith
leadership summit on fatherhood in June of 1996.
This summit attracted dozens of representatives from various faiths who discussed ideas
for encouraging, both individually and collectively, engaged fathering. Additionally, NFI
is partnering with national civic organizations, including United Way of America and Boys
and Girls Clubs of America, to stimulate local voluntary efforts toward father-friendly
community building.
NFI is also increasingly working with the nation's governors. For example, it was recently
awarded a contract by the Virginia Department of Health to implement a state-wide
fatherhood promotion campaign as part of Governor George Allen's citizen empowerment
initiative. NFI has been asked to provide consultation and advice to such diverse
governors as William Weld of Massachusetts, Roy Romer of Colorado, and Evan Bayh of
Indiana, as each seeks to find ways to promote, rather than discourage, responsible
fatherhood through state policy initiatives.
Direct Message.
NFI is taking their pro-fatherhood message directly to individual men. Through the skill
building and community resource materials, NFI provides information on how men can become
better fathers, and local communities can promote, encourage and support fathers. One of
their most successful publications, Father Facts 3, contains national data on trends in
fatherhood, as well as research documenting the negative consequences of father absence.
They also publish a Fatherhood Resource Catalog containing books, tapes, and other
fatherhood products.
There is substantial evidence that their efforts are beginning to bear fruit. Virtually
everyone now agrees: fathers matter, and they matter a lot more than many had previously
realized.
Roland Warren, is president of The National Fatherhood Initiative. He states, "The
most disturbing social trend of our times is the dramatic increase in fatherlessness in
the United States. In 1960, less than 8 million children were living in families where the
father was absent. Today the number of children living in father-absent homes stands at 24
million. That means that tonight one out of every three childen in America will go to
sleep in a home in which their father does not live. Children who grow up in father-absent
homes are significantly more likely to do poorly on almost any measure of child
well-being.The National Fatherhood Initiative, supported by its members, is working to
change all this."
To register for the 5th National summit on Fatherhood by phone, or for more information,
please contact Elaine Sherman, NFI's Special Events Manager, at 301/948-0599 or at
esherman@fatherhood |
