President Obama unveiled his “My Brother’s Keeper Initiative” which seeks to help young men and boys of color succeed.  As reported in CNN.com, the President called on every one to join in this critical mission stating: “No excuses. Government, and private sector, and philanthropy, and all the faith communities, we all have a responsibility to help provide you the tools you need. We’ve got to help you knock down some of the barriers that you experience.”

Chicago’s Fatherhood Educational Institute  (FEI), a non-profit founded by Father’s Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving, shares and supports this critical goal.  FEI seeks to promote positive fatherhood involvement in poverty stricken communities, and thereby reduce the incidence of father absence.  The facts of father-absence are startling. In America, 24.7 million children (33%) live in biological-father absent homes.  20.3 million children live with no father (biological, adoptive or step) in the home.

Numerous demographic studies show that children raised in families without fathers are at an extremely increased risk of living and growing up in poverty.  Further, the most reliable predictor of crime in America is father absence.  Alternatively, children with an involved father have increased self-esteem, do better in school and are less likely to engage in criminal activity or drug use.  At FEI, we applaud President Obama’s initiative and join in his call for us all to work together to break down the social, economic and familial obstacles that still face many young men of color.

About the Fatherhood Educational Institute:

The Fatherhood Educational Institute is a tax exempt 501 (c)(3) organization of the Internal Revenue Code.  The vision of the Fatherhood Educational Institute is to promote positive fatherhood involvement in all communities.

For more information, contact Jennifer Whiteside at 312-795-9060 and visit www.fatherhood-edu.org.

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