This Father's Day, A Special Group of Men Take a Stand for Women and Children by Declaring "No More" Violence

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) June 15, 2007 -- While many dads are receiving fancy new gadgets and ties this Father's Day, a dynamic group of more than 1,800 men including major business leaders, politicians, professional athletes, coaches and others nationwide are giving back to their families and communities by sending a powerful message that it is time to stand up for what it means to be a father and a positive role model.



This is the premise that started Founding Fathers - an effort founded in 2003 by a group of men in partnership with the Family Violence Prevention Fund. That year, men like Joe Torre, Russell Simmons, Sen. Joseph Biden, Bill Cosby, Tom Brokaw, Ted Waitt, the founder of Gateway, and several hundred others gathered together to adopt a new idea: that men can use Father's Day as a time to take a stand for respect, and help break the cycle of violence against women and children.

Each man made a financial contribution and took a pledge dedicating himself to coaching the next generation of boys to be better than the last and to help "build a new kind of society - where decency and respect require no special day on the calendar, where boys are taught that violence does not equal strength and where men stand with courage, lead with conviction and speak with one voice to say, "No more."

Since then, each year on Father's Day men from all walks of life have joined the ranks of the Founding Fathers. This year welcomes baseball Hall-of-Famer Willie Mays; NFL star Amani Toomer; Commissioner of Major League Soccer, Don Garber; Governor of Maine, John E. Baldacci; Head Coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Mike Nolan; President and COO of Verizon, Denny Strigl; and Chairman, President and CEO of Macy's, Terry Lundgren among others.

"When we first invited men nationwide to become part of the solution, we drew an impassioned response across the country," said Esta Soler, Founder and President of Family Violence Prevention Fund. "We are so proud and inspired by these men and their courageous leadership and financial support for prevention programs."

Since its inaugural year, the diverse group of men has grown to six-times its original size and Family Violence Prevention Fund has its sights set on expanding their efforts into a bigger "respect" project in 2008 which will take the effort a step further by encouraging the act of giving respect to others and teaching respect to the young people both through words and by example.

"I am so proud to chair the Founding Fathers campaign because it reminds us that we can all help stop violence - in our families, our communities, and our world," said Founding Fathers Honorary Chairman Ted Waitt. "When we empower a young man to speak out against violence, we help him become an example for others and start a chain of positive action that can extend indefinitely."

"In 2008, we hope to engage more companies to lead the way with a new project that calls upon all adults - parents, teachers, coaches, and other mentors to both boys and girls - to embrace the powerful effect of giving someone else in your life the gift of respect," said Soler.

According to a recent poll conducted for Family Violence Prevention Fund by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, made possible with support from Verizon Wireless, men are up to the challenge:
* 57 percent of men think they can personally make at least some difference in preventing violence.
* 73 percent think they can make at least some difference in promoting healthy, respectful, non-violent relationships.
* Seven in ten men are willing to talk to children about healthy relationships (up from 55 percent in a poll conducted in 2000)

As evidence of the impact a small group of dedicated men can make in violence prevention, earlier this week, a U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations subcommittee included $10 million in new funding to support programs that focus on engaging men and boys in the prevention of domestic and sexual violence.

"These men have started something powerful and we hope that this is indeed the beginning of a new kind of society where violence against women and children no longer exists," said Soler.

About the Family Violence Prevention Fund
The Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) works to end violence against women and children around the world, because every person has the right to live free of violence. In 2003, the FVPF and The Advertising Council launched a campaign to encourage men to teach boys that violence against women is wrong. Coaching Boys into Men includes television, radio and print public service announcements, and numerous resources. The FVPF's Founding Fathers campaign includes CEOs, professional athletes, entertainers, coaches and others who are mobilizing men to teach the next generation to treat women and girls with honor and respect, and to teach boys that violence does not equal strength. More information is available at www.endabuse.org.

*To interview a Founding Father, please contact Rachael Smith at 415.252.8900.
   
1 Peter Hart Research Associates Poll, nationwide survey among 1,020 men conducted April 23 - May 3, 2007.

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