ISSUE 06 January DadsCount2 2014 a publication of Fathers Count, a program of Family Services of Westchester

in this issue

Creating Their Own Opportunities P.1 Did You Know? P.2 Family Program P.3 Fathers Count Departures and Arrivals P.3 FSW MISSION Community Concerns: Giving Thanks P.3 Family Services of Westchester, Client Corner: Andrew A. P.3 founded in 1954, offers a broad From the National Fatherhood Initiative P.4 Winter Events P.4 range of social and mental health Johnsons in the Pumpkin Patch services to strengthen and support families, children and individuals Creating Their Own Opportunities at every stage of the life cycle, Fathers Count aims to strengthen the Buffalo, NY. Between his mid 20’s and from infancy to adulthood. parenting skills and economic stability of 30’s and had three boys of his own, noncustodial parents, and in some cases Rahkem, Rance and Rahmeek. Susan B. Wayne custodial parents, who are involved in In 2011, Robert, now a single father, President & CEO the criminal justice system. Fathers engage in curriculum that managed his own delivery and Polly Kerrigan empowers them as parents. Many removal business; the boys were Senior Vice President Program Operations Fathers Count participants go on to doing well in school and in a stable find long-term employment and environment. He had always FATHERS COUNT MISSION fully engage as parents in the lives wanted to be self-employed and To empower fathers so they can of their children. Here are two worked persistently to that end. such stories: properly care for their children. Robert’s dream was interrupted Robert when he was incarcerated on a Robert domestic violence charge. rd th FATHERS COUNT TEAM The intersection W 3 Street and S 11 Ave. in Mount Vernon brings Eventually the charges were

Caroline Walcott Robert’s life full circle. It was dropped as the case was further Program Director at this intersection that Robert investigated, but not before Sally Aquino spent most of his childhood. Robert had spent over 100 days Employment Counselor His family lived in an in jail and watched his life turn Cheryl Atkinson Healthy Relationship / Parenting Counselor apartment directly above the upside down. He had to solicit Curtis Benton church. He frequented the now family members and friends to Re-Entry Plus Counselor abandoned candy store across assume the responsibility of Akil Childs street. He played with neighborhood coming into the home to care for the Employment Counselor kids in a vacant lot on one corner. His boys. His goal was to maintain as stable Claire Hurst an environment for them as possible, and Healthy Relationship / Parenting Counselor father supported the family by managing to minimize the impact of his absence. Cherise Lynn the gas station on the fourth corner. Case Manager He felt that keeping the boys in the Robert moved away during his teen years family home was the best way to For more information contact Ms. Walcott: 914.964.6767 x 126 to complete his schooling. He earned his accomplish this. Having done all he could GED after completing Job Core in from behind bars, he still worried about the affect this would have on his boys. They were already Pedro feeling the weight of an absent mother. In those 100 days, Pedro is another Fathers Count participant who, with Robert also watched his business atrophy the support of his family, has been able to create his since there was no one to manage things own opportunity. while he was incarcerated. All the efforts he’d made to maintain his business were Pedro spent 19 years incarcerated and away from his destroyed. It would mean starting all over family. He used those 19 years as a chance to learn again. and grow as a human being, attending many programs while incarcerated. Upon his release in 2012, he Robert set about making a plan of action for participated in the Fathers Count program. his release. While incarcerated, Robert made use of his time, he joined and In March 2013, Pedro launched Momma Bears completed the Fathers Count program. Party catering services. The success of the His involvement in the Fathers Count business hinges on his immediate and program gave him a platform to explore extended family working as a unit. For an issues that impacted him as a single dad and learned to event, Pedro rents a professional kitchen. At midnight, enhance his parenting skills. Robert commented that he when the rates are at their cheapest to use the kitchen, “really liked the program and wished it had been around Pedro, his wife and sister meet to prep and cook the years ago.” In the community, Robert made every menu the night before the event. Nieces effort to minimize the damaging effects incarceration show their support for Pedro’s venture by could have on his boys. He participated in follow up acting as servers at every event. services through the Fathers Count Family Program. For more than two years, Robert has been a consistent As the company finds its legs and continues participant in the Family Program excursions and to build its clientele, Pedro is exploring workshops. He’s also tapped into other services at other ways of supporting his family. FSW in an effort to help the boys readjust during the Currently, he works at a company that re-entry process. He enrolled the boys into sports- Pedro services props to theatre, movie and each has played on Yonkers youth football league– and television productions. Pedro’s role is to they are doing relatively well in school. liaise with clientele and to build and refurbish furniture pieces. Now resettled, Robert has launched his latest Momma Bear’s Party! New York! business venture on this same lot, Flat Fix Tires, Both men have struggles through the repairing and replacing flat tires. Flat Fix replaces re-entry process. They have and repairs damaged tires. The business supports the persevered through many challenges and family financially and gives the boys another have successfully created opportunities opportunity to improve their work ethic, participate in for themselves in support of their the family business, learn new skills, and earn a little families. extra cash.

You could receive up to $2,400 in federal tax savings if you hired a person with a felony !

Employers that do business in New York can trim their labor costs in New York State by hiring a person with a felony on their record. You can find out more infor- mation https://labor.ny.gov/businessservices/PDFs/p438.pdf. If you are interested in hiring someone with a felony, call and speak with Ms. Walcott. Milton Berle Family Program Client CORNER: Andrew A. The Family Program’s annual apple and pumpkin picking trip to

Wilkens Farm in Yorktown Heights was enjoyed by all. Kids enjoyed picking red delicious and grannies from the trees and When I found out about you I was searching the patch for the perfect pumpkin to carve. Everyone overjoyed. My whole life I wanted a boy, had enough energy to take the traditional trek up the Wilkens Hill for photo evidence of having come and conquered the Hill. I wound sing and talk to you everyday Thank you to our driver Robert. So excited about having my first baby The Yonkers Public Library graciously agreed to host the second annual holiday party on December 12. Fathers Count But just like I figured you’d be stubborn like families gathered at the library for food and fun. Each family received a holiday gift. me And before you were due you wanted to be free

July 15, 2012 is the day you came to me Only 2 pounds 12 ounces you were cute as can be

Departures & Arrivals : You had to stay in the NICU, but never

Over the past few months, Fathers alone Count has had two team members move on to the next chapter of their lives: Yakira Cabrera the I was with you day and night till I could take Re-Entry Plus Counselor, and Marissa Malett, our great leader you home since the inception of the program. But then the day came when they took you Caroline Walcott has assumed the position of Program Director. Congratulations! away

Fathers Count welcomes aboard our team member Curtis Right then I promised I would change my Benton, the new Re-Entry Plus Counselor. Mr. Benton comes ways. to the program with many years of experience in the human services and correctional fields. I did what I had to do I stayed on track And after 8 months you came home, I won

Community Concerns: Giving Thanks you back The holiday season often brings out the best in most of us. But now I’m here and you are there For a few years, several congregations in Pelham, NY, in Westchester County have rallied together to help FSW Don't think I don't love you or I don't care families celebrate Thanksgiving. Each family received “Thanksgiving in a Box,” which contain a ham, pie (apple or I miss you so much, I’ll be here soon pumpkin) and sundry raw goods so families could prepare a full Thanksgiving banquet/meal. This year, over 20 Fathers And we will have plenty of time to make our Count families were grateful recipients. relationship bloom. Newsletter edited by: Claire Hurst, LMSW DadsCount2

Saw Mill River Audubon Project Feeder Watch - FREE Saturday, January 11, 2014, 8:00AM - 10:00AM Watch and learn about birds, photograph them and record the birds From the National Fatherhood Initiative at the feeders each Saturday & Sunday through March. Location : Croton Point Nature Center, Croton-on-Hudson IMPACT OF FATHER ABSENCE Contact : (914) 862-5297, [email protected] According to 2011 U.S. Census Bureau data, over 24 million children live apart from their biological Yonkers Philharmonic Free Concert - FREE fathers. That is 1 out of every 3 (33%) children in Sunday, January 12, 2014, 3:00PM America. Nearly 2 in 3 (64%) African American Come join the Yonkers Philharmonic for its first free concert of 2014 children live in father-absent homes. One in three on January 12th at 3 pm. Chi Chi Lin Bestmann will be the guest (34%) Hispanic children, and 1 in 4 (25%) white conductor leading the orchestra in Mozart’s Overture to the Magic children live in father-absent homes. In 1960, only Flute and Mendelssohn’s Symphony #5. Maestra Chi-Chi Lin Bestmann enjoys a diverse musical career including appearing with Jay Z at 11% of children lived in father-absent homes. Radio City Music Hall. Location : Saunders High School Children who live without their biological fathers Contact : Marcia Klein, for more information: 914 631-6674 are, on average, at least two to three times more Latin Jazz Guitars - FREE likely to be poor, to use drugs, to experience Wednesday, January 22, 2014, 1:00PM - 2:00PM educational, health, emotional and behavioral Latin Jazz Guitars, with Ricardo Gautreau and company problems, to be victims of child abuse, and to Location : St. Paul's Church, 897 S. Columbus Ave., Mt. Vernon engage in criminal behavior. Contact : David Osborn, 914-667-4116

POSITIVE IMPACT OF FATHER INVOLVEMENT Black History Month Program - FREE Saturday, February 01, 2014, 1:00PM - 4:00PM In a study examining father involvement with 134 At 1 PM, Dr. Sherrill D. Wilson, an urban anthropologist, presents children of adolescent mothers over the first 10 Celebrating Freedom. Sponsored by the Speakers in the Humanities years of life, researchers found that father-child bureau of the NY Council of the Humanities, this digital program contact was associated with better socio- explores the official end of slavery in NY, proclaimed on July 4, th emotional and academic functioning. The results 1827. At 2:30 PM, enjoy a living history presentation about 26 United States Colored Troops, a NY-based, African American regiment indicated that children with more involved fathers which fought in the Civil War. experienced fewer behavioral problems and scored Location : St. Paul's Church, 897 S. Columbus Ave., Mt. Vernon higher on reading achievement. This study showed Contact : David Osborn, 914-667-4116 the significance of the role of fathers in the lives Bluegrass and Folk Music - FREE of at-risk children, even in case of nonresident Wednesday, February 05, 2014, 1:00PM - 2:00PM fathers. Source: Howard, K. S., Burke Lefever, J. E., Borkow- A solo performance of blue grass and folk music, with banjo and ski, J.G., & Whitman , T. L. (2006). Fathers’ influence in the lives voice, from Sarah Lawrence College. of children with adolescent mothers. Journal of Family Psychology Location : St. Paul's Church, 897 S. Columbus Ave., Mt. Vernon Contact : David Osborn, 914-667-4116 Info taken from www.fatherhood.org - https://www.fatherhood.org/ media/consequences-of-father-absence-statistics? Animal Encounters Saturday, February 15, 2014, 1:00AM Learn about the nature center animals up close and personal Location : Cranberry Lake Preserve, North White Plains Contact : (914) 428-1005 www.westchestergov.com/parks

Fathers Count funding is based on a grant from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Family Services of Westchester Follow FSW on Administration for Children and Families, (Grant Number 90FK0050). However, any opinions, Fathers Count Program findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the 20 South Broadway, 3rd floor author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. This program is available to all Yonkers, NY 10701 eligible persons, regardless of race, gender, age, disability or religion. 914-964-6767 www.FSW.org