Inspired by President Barack Obama’s 2010 Father’s Day address, Fathers Incorporated (FI) has launched its Ties Never Broken campaign. Fathers Incorporated, a not-for-profit organization in New York is committed to eliminating fatherlessness and increasing the commitment of men to become mentors. Over the last several months, the campaign has garnered international attention and is supported by The White House and several major urban cities. The Ties Never Broken campaign is symbolized by the social marketing icon of a “blue bow tie.”
New to the team in championing the mission of responsible fatherhood is Fred Hammond, Grammy Award and multiple award-winning performer, producer and writer. Hammond joins fellow co-spokesperson Chris Broussard, journalist and sports analyst for ESPN. “I am excited to serve in this honorable capacity of saving our children,” states Hammond. “I’ve spent my life striving to be a responsible father and man, and I find it unacceptable what’s happening to our children because of the disengagement of fathers and able bodied men.”
“For years, FI has been working in the field of responsible fatherhood, with the goal of creating effective service models to serve men,” says Kenneth Braswell, executive director of Fathers Incorporated. “Our biggest struggle in combating both father absence and the lack of viable mentors is our inability to raise the societal level of conciseness regarding the importance of responsible male involvement.”
“It is our hope to garner the support of other influential men in sports, entertainment, business and in our faith-based communities to champion our efforts. Particularly those who have played impactful fatherhood roles in television and screen, as well as those who have a passion for elevating the image of responsible fatherhood and family values,” adds co-spokesperson, Chris Broussard.
Fathers Incorporated will be engaged in several projects within the coming months including the kick-off of Fatherhood Buzz, an initiative with the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC) and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in support of President Obama’s Responsible Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. The NRFC Fatherhood Buzz is an effort to promote responsible fatherhood and disseminate parenting information to fathers, families, and the community at-large via one of the most trusted community resources for men – Barbershops. In honor of Father’s Day, seven targeted cities across the country (Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; Milwaukee, WI; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; and Washington, DC) will participate in the inaugural Fatherhood Buzz event on Saturday, June 16, 2012. FI has also teamed with the McDonald’s Gospel Fest to promote the organization’s weMentor campaign in three cities: Newark, NJ; Chicago, IL; and Philadelphia, PA.
For additional information and updates on the campaign, please visit www.fathersincorporated.com.
