During visiting hours on Easter Sunday, April 15, 2001, I had the privilege of giving chocolate bars to 760 children incarcerated at Sylmar Juvenile Hall in Los Angeles County. Of the 760 children, approximately 20% had parents visiting them. Most of the remaining children were locked in their rooms. As each room was unlocked, I witnessed children crying on their beds from confusion, loneliness, and despair. There were others looking out the window with hope their parents would visit them on Easter Sunday, but they were only disappointed. Other children, having been hardened by disappointment, did not even bother to hope. They merely, wrapped themselves up under their covers and slept. Sylmar Juvenile Hall is only one of the many facilities that house at-risk children.

As you may know, fatherlessness is at an all time high. Below are some alarming statistics, resulting in tremendous consequences to the child, the family and our nation. In 1960, about 8 million children lived in fatherless homes. Today, that number exceeds 24 million. 22% of all America’s children come from fatherless homes. Here are the results:

• 90% of all homeless and runaway children are fatherless;
• 85% of all youths sitting in prisons grew up fatherless;
• 63% of youth suicides are of juveniles lacking a father;
• 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions are fatherless;
• 85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders are fatherless;
• 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger are fatherless;
• 71% of all high school dropouts are fatherless;
• 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers are fatherless;
• Higher rate of teenage pregnancy among daughters of single parents.
• Serial killers are from fatherless homes.

Clearly, there is a strong correlation between absent fathers and juvenile delinquency. However, there is hope. Studies show that if there is a strong positive male role model in the life of a fatherless child, that child can succeed.

In order to meet the needs of our sons and daughters, I am calling together men, leaders in out community, to form an executive committee of The Wealth of Nations Foundation called “A Father’s Heart”. Without minimizing a mother’s role, the purpose of “A Father’s Heart” is to:

? Reach out to at-risk youth who lack positive fatherly role models.

? Give a public voice expressing the heart of the father on issues of public concern when significant public issues are raised about children in our community.

? Break down negative stereo-types including the “Al Bundy Father Figure” and “dead-beat dad” perceptions prevalent in our society.

? Motivate men to value and embrace the role of fatherhood