Mark your calendar: 10th Annual Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit set for Oct. 16th

MILWAUKEE -- Men from around Milwaukee will mark the 10th year of getting the opportunity to become more effective fathers.

Mayor Tom Barrett’s Fatherhood Summit will be held Friday, October 16th from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (kick-off at 8:00 a.m.) and Saturday, October 17 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Destiny Youth Plaza located at 7210 N. 76th Street in Milwaukee.  The theme of the Summit is “Celebrating 10 Years of Building Better Fathers and Families.”  The free, public event will bring together a wide array of groups, agencies, businesses and individuals to provide the resources needed to build stronger fathers.

The goal of the two-day event is to create more effective fathers and, in turn, stronger families and communities.  It is organized and sponsored by the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative, Milwaukee County Child Support Services, Center for Driver’s License Recovery, and Social Development Commission.  Resources to be offered at the summit include employment resources, child support services, driver’s license recovery, criminal record expungement, financial literacy, health screenings, education resources, housing and family services.

To date, the MFI has reduced over $10 million in child support interest debt to help fathers better meet the financial needs of their children.  Through the MFI driver’s license recovery program, thousands of fathers have restored their driving privileges and improved their employability.  The Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative is working closely with President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Challenge and the Black Male Achievement Advisory Council to build upon its foundation to advance the achievement of boys and men of color and other populations of color.

Pre-registration for the Fatherhood Summit has begun at the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative and Social Development Commission websites at MilwaukeeFatherhood.com and cr-sdc.org.