FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 10, 2006

Contact: Vincent DiCaro

National Fatherhood Initiative partners with FedEx and Easton Hospital
FedEx to deliver 500 NFI Daddy Packs™ for new fathers

EASTON, PA (October 10, 2006) – National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI), FedEx Corp., and Easton Hospital have partnered to deliver helpful resources to new fathers who pass through the Hospital’s facilities. Today, five hundred Daddy Packs™ were delivered to Easton Hospital by the FedEx Special Delivery van in a ceremonial launch of a program to provide fatherhood resources for new dads, a typically underserved population.

Through a $25,000 grant from FedEx, NFI created this FedEx version of its popular Daddy Pack™, a kit of useful information to help fathers learn practical skills for connecting to their newborns. The Daddy Pack™ combines the FedEx brand of reliability and on-time delivery and NFI’s expertise in creating resources just for dads. It will replicate the familiar look of the FedEx Express envelope and feature the tag line, “On Time for Your Special Delivery.”

Each Daddy Pack™ will contain NFI’s interactive CD-ROM, Directions for Dads™, and three NFI brochures: 10 Ways to be a Better Dad; Keeping Your Child Safe from Newborn to Toddler; and So You’re New Father.

“NFI is excited to work with FedEx to deliver an important resource to Easton Hospital. Due to FedEx’s generosity, the Daddy Pack™ will help the Hospital serve fathers that come through its doors for the birth of their children. And not only is the Daddy Pack™ a resource that dads love, but moms love receiving something that will help their partner be an involved, responsible, and committed father,” said Roland C. Warren, president of National Fatherhood Initiative.

Easton Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer, Cornelio R. Catena, FACHE, said, “Helping fathers realize the truly vital role they play in their children’s lives is a personal mission of mine as well as a Hospital commitment that we are happy to undertake. When I think of my own experiences as a son growing up in a large family and now, as father to my own three children, I can say from both perspectives that connecting with your children – being a responsible and vital part of their lives from the beginning – is a win-win situation. It’s a lifetime of rewards for both children and fathers.”

Each Daddy Pack™ will contain a form that dads can fill out to provide feedback to Easton Hospital on how helpful the information is in connecting them to their newborn. This information will be used to enhance the Hospital’s services to new dads in the future.

Today, 24 million children live in father-absent homes in America. Across every measure of economic, physical, emotional, and educational child well-being, children from fatherless homes face greater risks than those growing up with both parents.

A likely contributor to this widespread disconnection between fathers and children is the gap in knowledge and support for fathers in the healthcare field. Upon the birth of a child, mothers are typically given instruction and resources to help her take care of her new baby. But new fathers are often overlooked, and this results in a great many dads who feel left out of the infant care process. However, research suggests that both mom and baby are better off physically and emotionally when dad is positively involved from the start. One important way to get dad involved is to empower him with practical infant care resources that recognize the unique and irreplaceable approach that fathers take to caring for their children.

Under the $25,000 grant from FedEx, NFI will deliver a total of 4,400 Daddy Packs™ to four hospitals in the mid-Atlantic region, including Easton Hospital.

The premier fatherhood renewal organization in the country, the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) works in every sector and at every level of society to engage fathers in the lives of their children. NFI's national public service advertising campaign promoting fatherhood has generated television, radio, print, Internet, and outdoor advertising valued at over $445 million. Through its National Fatherhood Clearinghouse and Resource Center, NFI offers a wide range of innovative resources to assist fathers and organizations interested in reaching and supporting fathers.
# # #