SU research center takes time for Dads

The Jaguar Nation celebrated Father’s Day a little early this year when the Center for Social Research hosted their annual program “Reading With Dad.”
Held on Saturday, March 17, the program focused on reading among children with the assistance of their fathers enhancing the young readers’ ability to enjoy reading while spending time with their fathers.
“I loved it because I was here with my son,” said Bruce Jones, a father who attended the program with his 8-year-old son.
The event took place at the Eden Park Library in Higgins Hall.
According to Frankie George, coordinator of training for the SU research center, the purpose of “Reading With Dad” was to give opportunities “to our gentlemen (and) give them a chance for educational structural interaction with their children.”
The seminar activities included story telling by Yvonne Byrd, a librarian from the Greenwell Springs Library. This segment of the program allowed the kids in attendance to become dramatically involved as Byrd theatrically told her stories and urged for audience participation.
Vendors such as the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, Literacy Works and the YMCA were on-site also providing resources for all those who attended.
Supporters of the program said it’s important to the Baton Rouge community because it helps reunite the community through family and provides fathers with a means for a new beginning.
Through the Center for Social Research, vast opportunities are afforded to fathers which include a “Minorities to Work in Training Program” that offers three phases including: job placement, follow-up and a first time home buyer’s program for those who do not qualify for home ownership because of their financial bracket.
“I was attending Louisiana Tech in building engineer when my son came,” Jones said. “With only a month left in the program, the class was cancelled. A few months later I received a letter from Southern University’s Center for Social Research for a job.”
Jones said from that moment he began getting his life together.
“We had a gentlemen that joined the program in March,” George said, reminiscing on another success story for the Center of Social Research. “He was recruited during our grassroots outreach in the local community. He began the job training component of the program and completed it.”
George said the man was unemployed at the time of the program’s inception.
“He completed the training and immediately landed a permanent job with benefits making $14.50 per hour within a week of graduating,” George said.
George said the center plans to continue working with dedicated fathers to help them resolve their child support issues and reconnect with their children.