President Obama White House Champion of Change for Fatherhood Mr. Thabiti Boone joins fathers from The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey’s Family Success Centers at the Second Annual Dance with My Hero Father/Daughter Dance in Trenton.
The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey’s North and South Ward Family Success Centers recently hosted their second annual Dance with My Hero Father/Daughter Dance. 150 duos attended the event, which celebrates the active role of fathers and father-figures within the community.
Over 20 community partnering agencies and organizations contributed to the success of the evening. Lighthouse Outreach Ministry once again donated their facility to host the event, and Alpha Phi Alpha and Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) provided a warm dinner buffet for all of the guests. Shiloh Baptist Corporation donated centerpieces, while volunteers from The College of New Jersey, members of CHSofNJ’s Parent Advisory Board and parent leaders from the CHSofNJ Family Success Center ensured that the evening ran smoothly.
Girl Scouts of Eastern PA, Cadette Troops 2401 and 2962 and Girl Scouts of Lawrence, Ewing and Trenton, Cadette Troop 70637 , worked together to collect gowns for each of the young girls in attendance, and UIH Family Partners provided clothing for the fathers to wear. UIH also donated four professional development packages to be raffled off to guests, each of which included a business suit, tie, dress shoes and a complimentary resume writing session. The event was hosted by CHSofNJ, UIH Family Partners and Fathers & Men United for a Better Trenton and funded in part by Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton and the NJ Department of Children and Families.
“We see each day at CHSofNJ how dedicated these men are to their children,” said Nichelle Hill, CHSofNJ Family Success Center Community Partner Specialist. Hill, who led the coordination of this event, continued, “and we are excited to honor and celebrate the men of our community who recognize the importance of a fatherhood role in a child’s life, and who are committed to filling that role.”
The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey is a non-profit child and family serving agency whose mission is to save children’s lives and build healthy families. Founded in 1894, the agency protects abused or neglected infants and at-risk children by ensuring stable, permanent, and loving homes for each and every child it serves. All services are confidential and most are free. For more information, visit chsofnj.org.
CHSofNJ’s North Ward Family Success Center (NWFSC) and CHSofNJ’s South Ward Family Success Center (SWFSC) are located at 1554 Princeton Avenue, Trenton and 635 S. Clinton Avenue, Trenton, respectively. Services available to participants include fatherhood enrichment programs, parental support groups, job readiness and life skills education, parent child and parent education activities, concrete goods donations and more.
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