FATHERS READING EVERY DAY (FRED)
Developed by Texas Cooperative Extension and coordinated locally by the Minnesota Humanities Center, Fathers Reading Every Day (FRED) encourages fathers to read to their children daily. Recent evaluation indicates that the program significantly improves:
- The amount of time fathers spend reading with their children
- Fathers’ level of involvement in their children's education
- The quality of time fathers’ spend with their children
- The level of satisfaction with the father-child relationship.
FRED is a 4-week program with two sessions: an opening event highlighting the fun and importance of reading with children, and a closing celebration. Both sessions feature free books and refreshments.
The Humanities Center is currently recruiting host organizations to implement FRED in their communities.We are especially looking for organizations that serve Somali, Latino, Hmong, and American Indian families to help us better serve fathers from those communities.
The Minnesota Humanities Center will provide:
- FRED information materials to every father/male caregiver/adult
- Two children's books to each child at first FRED event
- A choral reading book for each family at first FRED event
- Two children's books to each child at second FRED event
- Additional materials on the importance of reading to children
- Technical assistance to help plan the two FRED events
The Host Organization will commit to:
- A phone consultation with Humanities Center staff
- Conducting personal recruitment of fathers and families
- Providing the location of first and second FRED events
- Assembling informational folders for fathers including all the materials provided by the Humanities Center, plus any local materials which must include local library information
- Planning and presenting the two FRED events (with assistance from Humanities Center staff)
- Arranging for meals/snacks for both FRED events
- Providing child care for 20 minute "Father time" during first FRED event
- Maintaining periodic contact with fathers between the two FRED event
- Distributing and collecting participant surveys and participant evaluations from fathers/adults
- Sending the completed participant surveys and participant evaluations to the Humanities Center
- Completing and sending the coordinator feedback form to the Humanities Center
Additional information on hosting FRED events (PDFs):
APPLY NOW
For more information on FRED, please contact Tom Fitzpatrick, Director of Community Partnerships, at 651-772-4255 or tom@minnesotahumanities.org. |