Before I talk to you about the Good News and Bad News let me share something with you. Whilst the Just A Man is my personal blog it is also my primary way of releasing the latest information from our weekly Dads4Kids Newsletters. My passion is to change the world and make it a better place.
The famous Mice Pinkie and the Brain are my heroes. As Pinkie says to the Brain at the beginning of every episode. “What are we going to do tonight Brain … Take over the world Pinkie… take over the world.” is Brains quick retort.
I know I cannot take it over but I certainly want to change it and leave the world a better place for my children and my grand children. If we are going to change the world we must change men because men are leaders. They either lead goodly or badly.
The best way to change men is to change fathers and turn their hearts towards their children. Feminists correctly identified the source of the problem but their demonizing of men and fathers only made the problem ten times worse. The only way to change the world is found in the mission statement of the Dads4Kids.
We must turn the tide of fatherlessness and make excellence in fathering the norm for all our children. The simple goal is to put a smile on our children face. It can be done but it will require your sacrificial donation. That’s why we need your help! So what is the Good news and bad news all about?
First the Good News!
On Thursday night’s “Building a Better Future for Our Children” Webinar Conference Call, we announced that a number of faithful donors put up a …
… $39,585 matching challenge!
These faithful donors want to DOUBLE your tax-deductible one-time gift – or the annualized amount of your monthly pledge to Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation – up to $39,585 … if your gift is made by next Thursday June 29.
Now the Bad News:
… thus far, only 7 people have contributed toward the match of $39,585, and we still have a long way to go.
You know we rarely ask for contributions at Dads4Kids but we don’t want to leave any of this generosity sitting on the table so please help if you are able.
If at all possible, please make your most generous gift to Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation – and have it doubled:
http://www.dads4kids.org.au/donate.html
People often ask exactly what Dads4Kids does and how Dads4Kids helps our children?
Dads4Kids’ mission is to turn the tide of fatherlessness that is damaging our children. The main object of Dads4Kids is the promotion of ‘excellence in fathering’. The below video, with never been seen footage of our recent Dads4Kids Train the Trainer Summit and stories from fathers who have completed the Good to Great Fathering Course, tells the story well.
Dads4Kid Strategy to turn the tide of fatherlessness
Dads4Kids has a 3-pronged approach to help solve these problems:
- Public policy
- National Media Presence
- Fatherhood Courses
Let me tell you a bit more about our involvement with Public Policy.
Dads4Kids was part of putting up a National Men’s Health Policy to the Government before the 2007 election. Turning the tide of fatherlessness and improving men and fathers’ health are one and the same thing.
Women have had a Women’s Health Policy since 1989 but in 2007 men were invisible to the government. Fathers may be invisible to government, but they are not invisible to their children or their families. Men account for 95% of workplace fatalities, 75% of suicide deaths and men, on average, die 4 years younger than women. When Daddy doesn’t come home, for whatever reason, there is a lot of heartbreak and pain for all concerned.
Without a father in a child’s life he or she is:
- 32 times more likely to run away
- 5 times more likely to commit suicide
- 9 times more likely to drop out of high school
- 2.5 times more likely to become a teen parent
- 37% more likely to abuse drugs
- twice as likely to live in poverty
- twice as likely to commit a crime
Source: DHHS Fatherhood Statistics
Dads4Kids brought experts together for a Family Friendly Policy Forum on 20 August 2007 with both the major parties in Parliament House, Canberra before the election in 2007. Because of that strategic action by Dads4Kids, we now have a cohesive National Men’s Health Policy which is supported by both major parties. This came into being in 2008. Indeed, Men’s Health still needs more support, but Australia now actually has a policy that recognises the epidemic in men’s suicide and the fact that more men die of prostate cancer than women die of breast cancer.
So, we are making headway, albeit slowly.
Dads4Kids estimates that since its inauguration the National Men’s Health Policy has conservatively helped save the lives of 2,032 fathers. This figure is based on half of one percent improvement in the health of men who are fathers, and the same reduction in male morbidity over an 9 year period. This means that over 3,679 children can still give their Daddy or Grandad a hug. The fact that Dad or Grandad is still around today is wonderful news for those children. That is why we are asking you to help the Dads4Kids End of Financial Year appeal.
By the way we are not saying for a moment that Dads4Kids was the sole initiator of Australia’s National Men’s Health Policy. Wonderful men such as Professor John MacDonald from the University of Western Sydney had been advocating for a National Men’s Health Policy for decades but the government just was not listening. It was Dads4kids who got the National Men’s Health Policy across the line by building a united voice amongst all the men’s groups. Many groups were part of this policy change.
Good things happen when people work together!
Lovework
Thanks to YOU we have helped thousands of Dads reconnect with their children and improve their fathering skills. We have also saved thousands of marriages,
But there’s still so much more work to do – and we need your help to get it done.
If you feel inspired to make a tax-deductible pledge of ongoing monthly support (the annualized amount of your monthly pledge will be doubled). Go now to: http://www.dads4kids.org.au/donate.html
We are very grateful that our faithful donors have provided such an amazing opportunity at this crucial moment – and hope that you will respond generously, so we can better help the children of Australia.
Thanks for your investment in the children of Australia
Warwick Marsh
PS: If you missed out on the Building a Better Future For Our Children Webinar you can LISTEN HERE.. If you are feeling challenged and inspired to make a tax-deductible one-time gift that will be instantly doubled, DONATE NOW.
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