Weekend celebrations to connect dads with their kids and economic development opportunities
WASHINGTON, DC – June 15, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — For the second consecutive year, hundreds of public housing authorities across the country are gearing up to host free events to celebrate Father’s Day. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reports more that nearly 300 local agencies answered HUD’s call to host Father’s Day 2012, compared to approximately 200 agencies during last year’s inaugural event. The purpose of Saturday’s celebration is to celebrate fatherhood, family and to support dads in staying connected with their children. See which housing authorities are hosting events in your area.
“For a second year, housing authorities are being creative in an effort to connect fathers and their children,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, himself a father of two. “Whether it’s a Friday night dinner with dad or a Saturday basketball tournament, the events speak to this year’s theme, ‘Reconnecting Families and Dads.’”
Local housing authorities will use Saturday, June 16th – the day before the actual holiday – to celebrate fatherhood and the importance of dads being connected with their children who live in public housing or surrounding communities. The events have a two-fold purpose: Offering activities for fathers and their children and connecting these men to economic development resources.
The local offices of other federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Education and Justice, are getting ready to offer on-site information and services such as employment resources, healthcare consultation and legal counseling this weekend. In some cities, participants will meet athletes from the NFL and NBA, who will join in on the fun.
Nearly 300 housing authorities in 33 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands will participate in Fathers Day 2012 and have partnered with other organizations the Boys & Girls Club of America, Legal Services Corporation and the National Fatherhood Initiative.
(NFI), an organization created in 1994 to raise the awareness of the importance of fathers. Together, these groups are delivering a clear message — America needs dads.
According to U.S. Census data, 24 million American children live in a home without a father. Also, NFI says children in homes absent a father are five times more likely to be poor; and are more likely to drop out of school or be incarcerated.
HUD’s national Father’s Day 2012 campaign is in part modeled after the New York City Housing Authority 2010 Fatherhood Initiative, which hosted a day-long event in all five of its boroughs to kick off ongoing economic development, parenting workshops, tutoring and bonding activities for fathers and children.
Read more about HUD’s Father’s Day 2012.
###
HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.
HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the
need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build
inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business.
More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and
http://espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at
www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD’s News Listserv.
