CHA and SPHA Celebrate Responsible Fatherhood

CHA and SPHA’s Father’s Day event is a part of a national U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) initiative. Modeled after a successful event organized by the New York City Housing Authority in 2010, the goal of Father's Day 2011 is to provide a venue to connect fathers with their children and also to introduce the fathers to local programs and services.

“Children with involved fathers grow up happier, healthier and better prepared to succeed in life,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, himself a father of two. “Yet every night, one-out-of-three American children goes to bed in a home without a father present. These events will bring fathers and their children together and connect the dads to the social and economic resources they need to be the best parents they can be.”

The CHA and SPHA’s event will feature inspirational speakers, arts and crafts activities, resource booths, and entertainment from the Royal Theatre Boys & Girls Club Arts Academy. Participating families will have a chance to win free raffle prizes, including gift certificates to local restaurants and shops, gym passes, t-shirts, and backpacks with school supplies. Children also will receive free books from the Departments of Education’s Read It LOUD Program and from Cross Bayou Elementary School. Participants also will enjoy complimentary refreshments, donated by local restaurants.

Partners in the CHA/SPHA Father’s Day event are, as follows:

• Applebee’s
• Barnes Institute
• Bella Brava
• Cross Bayou Elementary School
• Dr. Carter G. Woodson African-American Museum
• Dunkin' Donuts
• Everest University
• Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
• FLKidCare
• LEAD – Leadership Education and Arts Development
• Metro Wellness & Community Centers
• Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority
• Publix
• Read It LOUD
• Royal Theater Boys & Girls Club Arts Academy
• St. Petersburg College
• STAND
• The Fat Cat Tavern
• The Wing House
• YouFit Gym

To date, nearly 200 housing authorities in 33 states, including CHA and SPHA, are hosting Father’s Day events and partnering with other community organizations. Together, these groups are delivering a clear message — America needs dads. More information about the national initiative can be found online at www.hud.gov/fathersday2011.

About St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA):

The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) is a public body corporate that has a 70+ year history of developing and administering affordable housing programs within its jurisdictional area, which includes St. Petersburg and a 10-mile radius outside of the city. Consistently scored as a “High Performer” on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assessments, SPHA provides housing assistance to more than 3,400 families. More information about the authority’s programs and services can be found at www.stpeteha.org.

About Clearwater Housing Authority (CHA):
The mission of the Clearwater Housing Authority (CHA) is to lead in creating housing opportunities to enhance the lives of the people it serves. For more than a decade, CHA has expanded its portfolio of properties to increase and preserve the affordable housing stock within the City of Clearwater. Currently, 78 percent of its properties are private investor funded. CHA is proud of its ability to provide rental housing opportunities while lessening its dependency on federal dollars. More information about CHA’s programs and services can be found at www.clearwaterhousingauth.org.