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Over 100 Chicago fathers treated to makeovers ahead of Father's Day
With Father's Day just six days away, a recent survey found most working dads feel like they're invisible. Six in 10 men say they don't get enough credit for balancing work and parenting. Today, three nonprofits in Chicago said they'll fix that.
CHICAGO - Lamont came out Monday for the first time.
Every Father’s Day before this one, he spent the day with his twin boys. That was the plan. That was enough. But this year somebody built something for him, and he showed up.
He was one of more than 100 fathers who walked into Chicago Theater Works on West Belmont Avenue for the Father’s Day Makeover Experience. Free haircuts. Free career coaching. Free gifts. Organized by three nonprofits who decided Chicago’s dads were long overdue for a day that was entirely theirs.
The backstory:
The numbers say why it mattered. A FinanceBuzz survey found 61 percent of working dads say fathers don’t get enough credit for balancing work and parenting. And according to consumer research from Northwestern University’s Medill School, Americans plan to spend an average of $199 on Father’s Day gifts this year. They spend $259 on Mother’s Day.
Roy Pearson felt all of it without needing a single statistic.
"This is really a special thing right now because, generally, we don’t get thought about," Pearson said. "Our children think about us but overall we don’t get thought about."
What started with moms:
The Daisie Foundation has been doing this for mothers for six years. Last month, 200 moms were treated to free hair, makeup, styling, and a speaker roundtable at the Gwen Hotel. The dads noticed.
"We got a lot of grief from the dads," said Julie Hightower, president of the Daisie Foundation and the Daisie Project. "Like, you never celebrate dads."
So she called Dana Fountain, co-founder of Snips of Success, a nonprofit that provides free grooming to people preparing for job interviews. Fountain brought more than 200 volunteer stylists. Together they built Monday’s event from scratch.
What the fathers said:
Pearson walked out with what he called the best haircut he had in some time. He had a message for every father still showing up.
"I would like to say to the fathers who are actively participating in fatherhood that we all see you and we all appreciate you," Pearson said.
What's next:
The Daisie Foundation plans to expand the Father’s Day Makeover Experience and launch a financial literacy program for sixth graders on the West Side this fall. Details at daisiefoundation.org and snipsofsuccess.org.
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX Chicago's Terrence Lee.