Bronx dads and their kids got together for a fun day of games and activities to celebrate Father’s Day in St. James Park in Fordham Manor On June 15.

 

The event was part of the HERO Dads a free program at Montefiore-Einstein designed to empower low-income, non-custodial fathers to achieve family and financial success.

 

HERO stands for healthy, empowered, resilient and open.

Funded by the Office of Family Assistance (OFA), and led by a team of psychologists, mental health counselors, and career development specialists, its mission is to help fathers become involved, nurturing parents to their children.

 

Other goals are for dads to form and maintain collaborative relationships with their children’s other caregivers, and to achieve financial stability.

 

The event was co-sponsored by SHR (Supporting Healthy Relationships) which aims to build futures around families, and Montefiore Care Management Company.

 

Together, in a fun-filled atmosphere, Bronx dads built up skills, and spent quality time with their kids, coloring kites and carrying balloons filled with water.

 

They also competed in games against their kids, and some dads were even brave enough to be shaven by their sons or daughters!

 

In addition, there was also a scavenger hunt, cotton candy, ice-cream, and kids’ hairstyling.

Montefiore Health System later tweeted of the event “Dr. Moshe Moeller leads the HERO Dads program, empowering fathers, nurturing parent-child bonding, & sharing resources for better outcomes in #TheBronx.”