Local fatherhood agency highlights the need to focus on fathers’ involvement with their young children in new campaign – Set to release new Public Service Announcement
National Fatherhood Advocate to Highlight Research Indicating Dads Have a Significant Impact on Early Childhood Development in New Campaign
Atlanta, GA—June 1, 2018–Fathers Incorporated, the Atlanta based agency and leading national non-profit for the promotion of Responsible Fatherhood, launches its DRIVE TO FIVE (www.drivetofive.org – Website Launch June 16th) campaign in Atlanta, GA.
The Drive to Five messaging campaign will equip and empower fathers with the necessary tools to understand the importance of and fully develop their role as fathers, encouraging them to engage positively with their children during the most formative years of life–up to age 5. Through partnership organizations, schools, faith-based institutions, and media, the campaign will help to advance local work that empowers fathers to be celebrated and educated about their roles in the lives of their children. The Drive to Five campaign has six priority pillars to help frame the work: 1) Education, 2) Family Stability, 3) Financial Education/Literacy, 4) Safety, 5) Equity, and 6) Health and Wellness.
ADAM – Drive To Five Spokesperson
Research maintains that father involvement is related to higher cognitive, developmental, and socio-behavioral child outcomes, such as improved weight gain in preterm infants, higher receptive language skills, and higher academic achievement. (Source: Garfield, C. F., & Isacco, A. (2006). “We are convinced that if we can educate more young fathers, particularly emerging adults ages 16-24, we can have a significant impact on child well-being in Atlanta,” says Kenneth Braswell, Executive Director of Fathers Incorporated and Director of the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse.
A special 60sec public service announcement was created and produced by NueWay Studios to help highlight the positive imagery of responsible fatherhood in young children. The PSA will be available to local media outlets looking for opportunities to assist Fathers Incorporated in developing a positive narrative change for low-income fathers. (PSA Launch date: June 8th)
Last year the agency launched its Real Dads Read program aimed at elementary school-aged children and their fathers/male caregivers. Currently, there are 60+ Real Dads Read learning centers (libraries) in barbershops and schools throughout metro Atlanta, and Real Dads Read has distributed more than 3500 books to local children.
Fathers Incorporated’s programs are supported locally by the Walton Family Foundation, Anne E. Casey Foundation, the United Way of Greater Atlanta, Literacy for All Fund, and the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority.
On Saturday, June 16, 2018, from 11am-5pm the Fathers Incorporated will host its second annual Fatherhood Expo and Job Fair at Greenbriar Mall. The event is co-hosted by Furthering Fathering and the ManUp Community. Over 60 vendors will be on hand with two stages of entertainment and information for the entire family. The ManUp stage will host a LIVE ManUP Community Talk with Youth, in addition to barbershop talks on subjects like “Being A Hip-Hop Dad”, “Faith and Fatherhood”, and “Black Males and Challenges of Social Justice in Atlanta.” “It is our plan to develop a tradition in Atlanta that both celebrates and highlights the issue of fatherhood,” says Braswell.
The event will also include Fathers Incorporated’s Daddy Diaper Drive designed to assist low-income fathers 16-24 years old and their families by supplying them with diapers and other necessities. “Our goal is to elevate the message that a father’s engagement and contribution to the well being of his children extends beyond his paycheck. Therefore, by offering assistance with free diapers, we can play a role in building the self-efficacy of young fathers,” says Braswell.
The Public Service Announcement
The DRIVE TO FIVE PSA was created and produced by local media group, NueWay Media (https://www.nuewaystudios.com/). The downloadable high-resolution PSA, stills, and information can be obtained by calling the FI office at 770.804.9800 or emailing fathersincorporated@gmail.com.
The Drive To Five Toolkit will be fully launched in February 2019. For more information you can visit http://www.drivetofive.org
