Dad Group Wants Christmas Joy For All Kids at Fairgrounds Valley

Kids living at Rockford's Fairgrounds Valley public housing development have Christmas requests that might bring you to tears.

You've been wondering exactly what you can do to help someone this holiday season. It's a blessing to have a device that allows you to read what I'm about to share. This is one of those times you don't have to say, "damn, I wish there was something I could do to help." There is something you can do, and you can do it well. You can help Rockford's Fatherhood Encouragement Project. The Project is a group of men mentoring each other to become better fathers and enrich the community in which they live. These men, for the second consecutive year, are 'adopting' the children at one of the Rockford Housing Authority’s developments. Last year, this motivated group 'adopted' all of the children at Blackhawk Courts.

So what is on the Christmas wish list for the kids living at Fairgrounds? According to a recent article at rrstar.com, it's things like toothbrushes, underwear and Legos.

"They’re asking for necessities. Talk about breaking your heart a little bit,”
Danial Petrie, the founder of the Fatherhood Encouragement Project.

The project aims to 'adopt' all 250 of the children living at Fairgrounds, and at rest, they are just a little shy of their goal. To ensure each child gets holiday presents, they still need to raise nearly $4000. It costs $70 per child and 56 children have yet to be 'adopted.'

Santa will be handing out the presents at a "Christmas with Superheroes" party on December 19th, being held at the Rockford Police Department’s District 1 station.

To help:

Please call 779-548-5044 or email info@fatherhoodencouragementproject.org.
Checks may be made out to the Fatherhood Encouragement Project and sent to 1233 Revell Ave., Rockford, Illinois 61107.

The deadline is Dec. 11.