The Year of the Dad

​​Last month we asked the staff at the Center for Families a question: if they could offer any programs they are not currently able to fund, what would they be?

They came back with us with a very well thought-out and researched wish list with a great array of ideas, but one thing really stuck out at us: the majority of the the programs on their wish list were specifically for dads. 

If you have ever attended one of the many free playgroups, workshops or events the Center for Families offers, you know that they provide a wonderful selection of high-quality programs for everyone. They have worked incredibly hard to strengthen all of their programs, particularly their programs for dads. This has included completely revamping their monthly dads & kids meetup, adding workshops for dads, hiring a Fatherhood Outreach Worker, and starting a text campaign that now reaches 250 dads in the city. 

As the Center for Families shares, "We believe that by providing opportunities for men to build social connections, get support and information on parenting and child development, and creating space for fathers to be with their children, the Center is creating a cultural shift in the way both fathers are viewed in the community and how fathers view themselves."

We know how important dads are. For example, according to the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, a subsidiary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "When fathers are involved in the lives of their children, especially their education, their children learn more, perform better in school, and exhibit healthier behavior" (quoted from their website).

Based on the important role dads play in their children's lives and a need the Center for Families has identified, we have decided to make our 2015-2016 fundraising year "The Year of the Dad."

We are focusing our fundraising efforts on raising $7,200 so that the Center for Families can provided even more high-quality programs to engage more dads in Cambridge. These programs include:

• Sporting events for dads & kids to attend together, which will help build strong social connections and create opportunities for men to have dad-only time with their children
• A cultural program for dads & kids
• A celebration for dads that will allow them to share what it means to be a dad
• A program to help foster social connections for dads

How can you help?
Help us spread the word! Like Friends of the Center for Families on Facebook and share with your friends about "The Year of the Dad."

Donate to our campaign -- every amount helps! For example,

• $5 will pay for food for one person at a program
• $10 will pay for books for one family
• $20 will pay for one ticket to one of the sporting events

Volunteer to help plan our spring fundraiser, The Bids & The Bees. You can e-mail our president, Bev Feldman, for more information.