Reposted from Administration for Children & Families The Family Room Blog (Sept. 7, 2012)
As a new parent, I remember the time that I forgot my newborn’s diaper bag. Imagine a screaming newborn that HATED being in dirty diapers, luckily I had diapers stashed in my car. The great thing about this incident is that I now make sure we have diapers in as many places as possible.
We really shouldn’t wait until a disaster happens and say, "Oh we got lucky." We have to act now – especially since we are new parents and have to think about a family that might be in different locations at the time of the incident. An example of things you may need to get done include:
- Picking a family meeting place
- A way to contact other family members (i.e. phone numbers, and social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, etc.) – memorize important numbers for your family.
- Keep a supply of food and drink that won’t go bad in the house: one gallon of water per person per day. Food like ramen noodles, granola bars, pop tarts, peanut butter, and jelly. Don’t forget to pack a manual can opener if you plan on having canned food in your supply.
- Emergency kit for a newborn, baby, toddler. Examples include baby food, diapers, wipes, formula, entertainment, books, etc.
- Flashlight with extra batteries.
- Hand crank or battery operated radio (with extra batteries).
- Cash in case ATMs are down.
- Personal documents such as passport(s), social security card(s) or drivers license(s), mortgage statements, etc.
If you include your children in the emergency planning process they will be more likely to understand and remember the plan.
For more information and helpful hints on ways to protect yourself and your family, follow the Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Click here to listen a special message from our Acting Assistant Secretary George Sheldon on National Preparedness Month.
Reposted from Administration for Children & Families The Family Room Blog (Sept. 7, 2012), written by Tala Hooban, Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR) Program Analyst
I recently had the opportunity to visit RecycleForce, a social enterprise in Indianapolis, IN that operates a recycling business while providing transitional jobs and comprehensive support services to formerly incarcerated individuals.
RecycleForce received a $5.5 million grant through the Department of Labor’s Enhanced Transition Jobs Demonstration (ETJD) to serve low-income, non-custodial fathers with criminal records. To implement this program, RecycleForce has teamed up with a number of community partners, including two faith-based programs, Changed Life and New Life Development Ministries that assist and hire formerly incarcerated individuals.
In my conversations with the staff and program participants, I learned how this project is not only helping people gain valuable work experience but is also helping them support their children. RecycleForce supports non-custodial parents by helping them reconnect with their children, strengthen their parenting skills, open-up communication lines with the children’s mother, and effectively manage their child support payments with the Marion County Child Support Division.
RecycleForce provides employment training and creates jobs, but more than that, they also transform the lives of the men and women who come through their doors.
The below video features a RecycleForce client discussing his responsibilities as a role model to his children:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HYl_e-7S6A&feature=player_embedded
Learn more about the work being implemented through Enhanced Transitional Jobs program at the Department of Labor.
Phil Tom is the Director of the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Labor
This past June, hundreds of public housing authorities across the U.S. participated in HUD's fatherhood initiative. More than 300 local agencies answered HUD's call to host free events, topping last year's participation of over 200 agencies. HUD planted the seed, and we were pleased that housing authorities added their own twist to make their events unique and special. The events celebrated fatherhood, family and the importance of dads staying connected with their children who live in public housing or surrounding communities while also connecting the fathers to economic development resources.
Agencies in 33 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands hosted events this year-with Virginia and Texas having the highest number of participating agencies. With a year under their belts, housing authorities were more creative in the ways they connected fathers and their children. The events spoke to this year's theme, "Reconnecting Families and Dads." For example, instead of a Saturday celebration, the Spartanburg S.C. Housing Authority hosted "Dining with Dad" on a Friday evening.
Through this year's theme, HUD encouraged housing authorities to consider activities that will keep fathers connected to their children throughout the year. For example, dads can plan to volunteer at their children's schools, including attending Parents Night when school opens.
To offer on-site information and services such as employment resources, healthcare consultation and legal counseling, housing authorities partnered with the local offices of other federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Education and Justice. HUD also worked closely with national organizations like 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.
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.
Ron Ashford is Director of Public and Indian Housing’s Office of Public Housing Supportive Services within the Office of within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
The White House initiative Champions of Change seeks to honor a number of Americans who have stood out in particular areas of emphasis in order to solicit their ideas in order to maximize the potential for change in our society at the behest of the federal government and the community.
Photo Caption: Attorney General Eric Holder addresses the Fatherhood Champions of Change and attendees at the White House event. The Attorney General shared that the most important job he has had is being a dad to his three children.
Last week, the White House focused on fatherhood in support of President Obama’s Fatherhood & Mentoring Initiative and in commemoration of Father’s Day. Each of the ten Champions of Change honorees contributed incredible work in the fields of fatherhood and low-income men and boys.
The event had an air of enthusiasm, as it was well-attended by many key stakeholders within the cause of advancing fatherhood and mentorship among children without fathers. In addition to the Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Joshua DuBois, Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan made appearances to share a few thoughts in honoring the Champions. Check out the event here.
Photo Caption: The 2012 Fatherhood Champions of Change (left to right, top to bottom): Roland C. Warren, Joseph T. Jones, J. Michael Hall, Dr. Michelle Mickle Foster, John Sowers, Carey Casey, R. Stacey Bouchet, Bob Johnson, Jerry Tello, & Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner
Witnessing the excitement and passion for the fatherhood cause incites moments of reflection. Inspiring our youth by creating a lifelong bond from a father to a child is of paramount importance for the enhanced well-being of our children, and it is a cause that reaches out to us all—as each and every one of us has the potential to have a relationship with our fathers.
But, equally important, is the role we can play as mentors for those children who, due to circumstances beyond their control, do not have fathers in their lives. These children must be reminded that the absence of their fathers is to no fault of their own, and they must know that they are not forgotten.
Father’s Day is a celebration for everyone—be they fathers, mentors, potential mentors, and perhaps most importantly, the children whom are affected by the presence and absence of fatherhood and mentorship. In the words of the Attorney General: “of all the titles I’ve held in my life – lawyer, prosecutor, judge, U.S. Attorney, and, now, Attorney General – the one I’m most proud of is ‘father.’ As fathers, we have an opportunity today, as we do every day, to act responsibly in the lives of our own children. And by setting a good example, each of us can have a significant impact on the future of our nation, in profound and positive ways.”
Let us continue, and inspire others to begin, that work today.
Jarred Reiling serves as a Presidential Management Fellow within the U.S. Department of Justice Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
Cross-posed from ACF’s The Family Room Blog
It’s hard to be a parent. That’s why Father’s Day is so important. It gives us an opportunity to thank dads who are active in their children’s lives—who accept the challenges of raising a family and reap the benefits of their children growing up in a loving environment.
Today, one out of every three children in America is living without a father in the home--about 24 million kids in this country.
Studies have shown that children without a father in the home are two to three times more likely than children with active, involved fathers to live in poverty, use drugs and engage in criminal behavior. These children are also more likely to become victims of child abuse, and experience emotional, health and education problems.
The Administration for Children and Families is working with its programs across the agency to help low-income fathers meet their commitments to their children.
Our Office of Child Support Enforcement helps create stable and healthy environments for children and parents by collaborating with federal, state, tribal and local governments to run the nation’s child support program. OCSE has launched a Family-Centered initiative to encourage child support programs around the county to set accurate support orders based upon a noncustodial parent’s ability to pay them and to link parents to job services, financial education, and co-parenting services. By removing barriers and encouraging positive parental involvement, more children will be able to count on emotional and financial support from both parents. Check out the OCSE website for more information about this initiative: http://transition.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocsp
In the Office of Family Assistance, our Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood initiative has awarded 120 grants to organizations, including nonprofits that work to strengthen relationships and marriage between individuals, couples and fathers and their children. The healthy marriage grants provide services, which include counseling, financial management and conflict resolution classes. The fatherhood component promotes the economic stability of fathers through employment skills and subsidized employment, responsible parenting classes, and promoting healthy marriage.
In the Administration for Native Americans, its Strengthening Families Initiative funds culturally relevant strategies to strengthen families and promote family preservation, foster child well-being, responsible parenting and healthy relationship skills. Responsible Fatherhood projects that provide education and activities to fathers to help them overcome barriers to positive involvement in their children’s lives are also supported in this program.
And finally, the Office of Community Services has collaborated with the child support office to implement the Building Assets for Fathers and Families Initiative. This program extends the benefits of financial education, matched savings accounts called Individual Development Accounts, to parents with young children. The child support office awarded seven three-year BAFF demonstration grants that fund partnerships between child support enforcement agencies, Assets for Independence grantees, and fatherhood organizations to identify effective strategies for increasing the financial stability of children and their parents.
While ACF works hard to lift families out of poverty and into a stable and successful environment, we are also finding ways to sustain that stability and success by helping men truly become fathers in the process.
Check out the latest initiative to increase responsible Fatherhood across America.
It’s a great time to be a dad.
Being a dad is so important today because it’s an opportunity to empower the next generation of men and women to conquer whatever challenges may face them. It’s an opportunity to help shape their future.
When fathers aren’t a part of their lives, kids are more likely to get involved in harmful and destructive activities like drug use and crime. On the other hand, giving children the paternal support they need helps them grow into confident, capable and healthy men and women.
All children deserve solid father figures in their lives, but far too many don’t have them. President Obama, whose own father was absent for much of his childhood, understands that. That’s why he created the Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative to celebrate fatherhood and create meaningful opportunities for fathers and children – and adult mentors and young mentees – to connect.
Children aren’t the only ones who reap the benefits of these relationships; fatherhood is one of the most inspiring things in life. Watching my daughters grow into responsible, driven and happy women has been an indescribable joy.
It has also been great to share my passion for the environment with them. From their earliest days, we enjoyed the “great outdoors” whenever we had a chance – and we still do. But I also showed them the importance of protecting the natural resources that surround us by doing things like recycling and cutting back on energy use. These are things that are still a part of their lives today.
June is America’s Great Outdoors Month, and finding creative ways to enjoy the open, outdoor spaces and keep them healthy and vibrant can be a great opportunity to bond with your son, daughter or mentee – and improve your community at the same time. Check out the outdoor activities aimed at protecting the environment on EPA’s website for some ideas. We would love to hear about some of your outdoor dad experiences this summer, so please share your stories by emailing us at partnerships@epa.gov or tweeting, @EPAgov using #outdoordad.
However you choose to spend your time, I encourage you to continue making fatherhood or mentoring a priority in your life. Take the President’s Fatherhood Pledge, and do your part to help shape the next generation of happy, healthy Americans.
Bob Perciasepe is Deputy Administrator at the US Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Father’s Day event is back! Originally inspired by a New York City Housing Authority event, last year over 200 Public Housing Agencies (PHA) participated in the inaugural celebration for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Across the country, thousands of fathers, children, mothers and friends gathered for fun activities while learning about supportive services in their communities. You can watch this video that provides some of the highlights from last year and invites everyone to participate this upcoming Father’s Day.
This year, the Father’s Day celebration is back and we are bringing more “friends” to participate in the fun. HUD has reached out to other nonprofits, federal agencies and the private industry in order to provide PHAs with a variety of resources for their Father’s Day events. HUD already has commitments from the National Fatherhood Initiative, the National Football League Players Association, and Boys and Girls Clubs of America among others. As a result of these partners joining in this effort, Father’s Day offers PHAs the chance to improve the lives of residents through fostering stronger family connections while also giving PHAs the opportunity to form new partnerships with local organizations offering supportive services. To capture this expanded vision HUD is calling this initiative Reconnecting Families and Dads.
To make the most of these connections, HUD is filming “Reconnecting Conversations” with representatives from our partner organizations on how they can support local PHAs in their Father’s Day events. Our first segment was with Kevin McCartney of Boys and Girls Cubs; this conversation was exciting, informative and under fifteen minutes.
HUD looks forward to helping PHAS and families make many new connections through Father’s Day 2012. To learn more, visit www.hud.gov/fathersday2012 and check out the Webcast announcing the effort underway to support Reconnecting Families and Dads.
Please contact us with any question, comments or ideas at PIH_Fathers_Day_2012@HUD.gov.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Related Posts
- Celebrating Fatherhood in Public Housing Authorities
- What they’re saying about HUD’s Fathers Day 2011: Part 1
- What they’re saying about HUD’s Fathers Day 2011: Part 2
Ron Ashford is Director for Public Housing Supportive Services within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Inspired by President Obama’s Fatherhood & Mentoring Initiative, seven-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade hosted a Responsible Fatherhood Roundtable discussion and recognition ceremony with a group of individuals who exemplify the goals of the President’s initiative. While I was encouraged by Dwayne’s remarks, I was also impacted by the local individuals who joined us at this meeting that exemplify and promote responsible fatherhood.
Photo, Front Row from Left to Right: Sean Forehand (Manager, Orange County LINOS Program), Eugene Schneeberg (Director, DOJ Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships), Dwyane Wade, and Joshua DuBois (Special Advisor to the President and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships)
- Bryan Nelson, coordinator of the Boot Camp for New Dads program in Orlando, uses his passion everyday to teach new dads the importance of their participation and leadership.
- Anthony “Tony” Washington is a retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer, a dad, grandfather and a mentor.
- Anselmo Nieves, a compassionate dad dedicated to balancing work and spending time with all three of his sons including his youngest, who was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy as an infant.
- Larry Darnell Robinson, a dad who was raised in foster care and group homes himself, is now the proud father of a beautiful four year-old daughter whose story demonstrates how people can overcome tremendous obstacles and still be a great fathers.
- Dexter Nelson, a hands-on single father of three children, serves as the Fatherhood Ambassador for the Pine Hills Head Start program.
- Jim Werner, founder of Circle Christian School, has a passion for families and challenges parents and students to understand that education must go beyond academic accomplishment, encouraging his students to develop skills that focus on relationships, character, and full engagement with life.
- Karen Wint, who has been a foster parent to roughly 40 children, works with her local Boy Scouts pack to engage more fathers in activities because she recognizes the value of positive male role models.
- Raheem Sharpe, a hard working teen father to his son, benefits from having a mentor who can help him navigate the challenges of being a young father.
- Sean Forehand, Sr., manages the Low Income Non-custodial parent Outreach Service (LINOS) for the Dept. of Child Support Enforcement, where he focuses on outreach and education assisting soon-to-be and recently released fathers to get the tools they need to successfully support their families financially and emotionally.
- Rev. Jose Elias Gonzalez & his wife Jackie have been specializing in Family and Youth Ministry for over 20 years. Pastor Gonzalez emphasizes the important role that men and fathers play in their communities. He is the founder of PROTÉGÉ INC. a non-profit organization focused on mentoring and equipping the next generation with life skills.
Through each of their stories, it was amazing to highlight positive examples of the impact being made to turn the tide on father absence in our local communities.
Eugene Schneeberg is the Director of the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Justice.
Recently, I had a chance to sit down with seven time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade, to talk about how he is, in his own words, a “father First.” Through the event, Dwyane had an opportunity to share why fatherhood is so important to him. His remarks were made to a room of individuals in Orlando who exemplify the principles outlined by President Obama in his Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative and highlighted in this event by Dwyane Wade: that fatherhood is and has to be a priority for everyone in our communities. From Bryan Nelson with the Boot Camp for New Dads program to Sean Forehand, Sr. from the local Child Support Office who has given over 400 in-person presentations to fathers throughout the Central Florida area, everyone who gathered were all stars for the work they are doing to strengthen fatherhood in Orlando. See more of these All Stars in the video below and hear directly from Dwyane how he makes fatherhood a priority.
Watch Dwyane Wade speak about being a “Father First.”
Joshua DuBois is Special Assistant to President Obama and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Fathers, uncles, male mentors, grandfathers, brothers, and community leaders recently gathered at the Café at Chicago Vocational Career Academy in Chicago, IL to share what men can do to increase their involvement and support in the lives of their children—especially their education.
The Department of Education (ED) was honored to sponsor the event alongside other federal agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services as well as father serving organizations such as Black Star Project, Watch D.O.G.S., the Illinois Fatherhood Initiative and Real Men Charities.
Participants at the Roundtable, Café at Chicago Vocational Career Academy in Chicago, IL
Approximately 45 men attended from multiple ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A panel of fathers and experts shared their experiences and research that affirmed the positive role of fathers in the lives of their children. Panelist Dexter Chaney, one of ED's Teaching Ambassador Fellows and a Chicago assistant principal, explained a principal's perspective on parental involvement. In his remarks, he linked parental involvement to ED's efforts to motivate parents to be partners in their children's learning. Other panelist included
- Kenith Bergeron, U.S. Department of Justice;
- Norris Stevenson, IL Department of Healthcare and Family Services;
- Elliot Mark, Family Resource Center on Disabilities;
- Walter Jones, Fathers Who Care;
- Kirk Harris, Fathers on Healthy Communities Initiative;
- Carl West, MG Media/Truth B Told News Service; and
- Ian Stroud, Citywide American Indian Education Council.
One young father, in his late teens, said the message should be "taken to the street." He shared his feelings of isolation without a job and family supports. The group challenged this young man to return with his friends to a follow-up meeting. Attendees also challenged each other to go to their neighbors and friends encouraging them to become involved.
As a result of this session, monthly meetings will be held to continue the dialogue. A larger Fathers Forum is scheduled for May 5, 2012 at Odgen School in Chicago, IL.
Shirley Jones serves within the Department of Education Office of Communications and Outreach for the Great Lakes Region.
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En respuesta al llamado del presidente Obama para una conversación nacional sobre la paternidad responsable y las familias saludables, aprender cómo usted puede unirse a la Iniciativa Presidencial de Padres y Mentores.