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The festivities welcomed over 150 youth, parents and
community leaders on Saturday, June 14 at the Frederick
Douglass Community Association. The opportunity was also
provided for local vendors to connect with residents,
including: Boy Scouts of America, Erie Shores Council, City
of Toledo Fire and Rescue Department, East Toledo Family
Center, Exactcare Pharmacy, Hot 97.3 FM radio station, Josh
Project, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Molina
Healthcare, Neighborhood Health Association, Pathway,
Prevent Blindness, The Source, Toledo Fair Housing Center
and YMCA Fun Bus.
“This is an annual event that LMHA sponsors, and this year
we joined in partnership with the Frederick Douglass Center.
They were kind to extend their facility for this event. It’s
an initiative to acknowledge fathers and father figures in
the household, and celebration of family. We wanted to bring
fun, activities, and community information together today,”
explained Vanessa Street, LMHC.
The Fatherhood Initiative celebration focuses on honoring
Toledo fathers and supporting male involvement in the lives
of their children, utilizing the theme, “Reconnecting
Fathers and Dads.” The initiative is connected to the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development’s program.
The 2014 Toledo-area community Fatherhood Initiative
celebration supporters were: COMMEXX, Dairy Queen, Express
Youself Hair Salon, Fifth Third Bank, Foodtown, Honey Baked
Ham, Latrina’s Salon of Beaute, Lowe’s, Mercy Health
Partners, Metroparks Toledo area, Michael’s Old Navy,
Operationz Barber Shop, Skyway Financial, Splash Universe
Water Park-Resorts Toledo, TARTA, The Butterfly House,
Toledo Mud Hens, Toledo Walleye, Toledo Zoo, University of
Akron, and Wal-Mart.
“Today, I’m representing Toledo public schools but
ultimately the program we run YMOE and YWOE is a dear
opportunity if fathers are not in the home or father figure
is not present. This is an opportunity to get involved in
our program which we will provide the assistance. Also more
importantly, the assistance of peer-to-peer support which is
more impactful on today’s youth. We encourage our parents to
maintain a presence, particularly fathers and the impact
that they have. My father has a huge impact on my life and
I’m giving a little bit of my father to each child,” shared
Romules Durant, PhD, TPS Superintendent.
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