With Father's Day on the horizon, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) is stepping up to celebrate dads in a novel way. In an event aimed to support and empower fathers of the community, a father-focused baby shower is in the works, scheduled for the start of June. The shower, dubbed the D.A.D. (Disciplined, Attentive, Diligent Fathers) Baby Shower is being organized by MCDPH's South Phoenix Healthy Start program and will unfold at the South Mountain Community Center from 10 am to 3 pm on June 7. According to a recent announcement by county health officials, the event is crafted to give fathers practical tools and resources, with a focus on those with kids two years old and younger, as well as expectant dads.
The gathering is not only about showers of gifts but showers of knowledge too. Fathers are encouraged to RSVP for the D.A.D. Baby Shower by May 28, an opportunity to roll up to a mobile health van for screenings, vaccines, and medical referrals. Moreover, South Phoenix Healthy Start Program Supervisor Meloney Baty emphasizes the importance of self-care for dads, stating, "We know that it can be hard to take care of yourself when you're taking care of your family, and we hope that this event will make it a little bit easier for dads to take care of themselves and show their kids how important health is." The event, while shining a spotlight on dads, is a family affair, inviting the whole brood for an array of activities.
Besides health services, the baby shower is also poised to offer educational classes, including teaching dads about safe sleep for babies and advocating for their children. With a lineup of vendors offering services ranging from mental health support to career training, fathers will find an assembly of opportunities to grow in careers with livable wages. The event promises a concoction of family-friendly fun with games, giveaways, music, and more, throwing the door wide open for fathers seeking a community and support.
Partnerships for the event include The State of Black Arizona and sponsorship from Dignity Health. Solidifying this collaborative spirit, Baty adds, "Just like a child needs many supporters, parents need multifaceted support also." This initiative, reflecting a communal approach to parenting, aligns with Maricopa County's broader aims to nurture families by empowering those often found in the background of baby-rearing narratives: fathers.
