Just in time for Father’s Day, The Pocono dad project hosted a graduation picnic in honor of the newest class of dads Who have completed their program.
Families of graduates and alumni alike gathered at the Mountain View Park on Wednesday for The Pocono Dad projects graduation picnic. The new graduates are dads who have completed the 12-week program, meeting one day a week for 2 hours, using an evidence-based curriculum created by the national fatherhood initiative. New graduates include Paul Benson, Joshua Boyer, Dan Lopez, Torie Yoder, Matthew Quinones, Joshua Kresge, and David Stolzenberg.
The main program is 24/7 Dad, ran mainly in different area churches. The Pocono Dad project also offers a prison program to reach incarcerated fathers using the inside-out dad curriculum.
Kevin Henson is the lead facilitator at the Pocono Dad project. “We are basically all about trying to help dad be the best that they can be. The cool thing about the program is that we get guys together. We get to share ideas. Of course, we follow the curriculum, the curriculum kind of guides the conversation, but we also learn from each other,” said Henson. “I’m, and dad and I feel it’s the most important job in the world. I recognize that a lot of dads get a bad rep, this whole idea of deadbeat dads and things like that, but I’ve never met a dad who said they want to be a bad dad. The problem is, I think, a lot of dads don’t know how to be a good dad.”
According to their website, diverse organizations worldwide use the 24/7 program. Where they improve the behavior and skills of dads of all races, religions, and demographics, the program is built on the basis that fathers can be nurturers. For men, nurturing is a learned skill. Throughout the program, men examine their own fatherhood history, learn the five characteristics of a 24/7 Dad, and other behaviors considered vital.
The next round of 24/7 Dad classes will start in the fall.
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Call: 570-982-0963
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