2011 NATIONAL MILLION FATHER MARCH: HOUSE OF UMOJA, INC. AND UNIVERSAL COMPANIES, INC. JOIN FORCES

CONTACT:

Mr. David Fattah
Coordinator, 2011 National Million Father March
House of Umoja, Inc.
Telephone: (215) 473-5893
Facsimile: (215) 879-5340
E-Mail: falakafattah@aol.com


Mr. Kenneth Gamble, Founder
Universal Companies, Inc.
Telephone: (215) 732-6518
Facsimile: (215) 732-6519
E-Mail: info@universalcompanies.org


PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 22 August 2011 – Officials from the School District of Philadelphia; Mr. David Fattah of the House of Umoja, Inc. (www.houseofumoja.org) and National 2011 Million Father March Coordinator for the City of Philadelphia; and Mr. Kenneth Gamble, Founder of Universal Companies, Inc. (www.universalcompanies.org) will hold a press conference on Wednesday, 24 August 2011 at 12:00 P.M. at the School District of Philadelphia Administration Building which is located at 440 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to announce the City of Philadelphia’s participation in the National 2011 Million Fathers March. On Tuesday, 6 September 2011, the first day of the 2011-2012 academic year, the City of Philadelphia will join hundreds of cities throughout the United States that have formally committed to participating in the National 2011 National Million Father March which is facilitated by Philip Jackson, its creator and the Founder and Executive Director of the Chicago, Illinois-based Black Star Project (www.blackstarproject.org).




The press conference scheduled for Wednesday, 24 August 2011 at 12:00 P.M. at the School Administration Building at 400 North Broad Street is open to the media and the general public. The National 2011 Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia; the collaboration that has evolved between Universal Companies, Inc. and the House of Umoja, Inc. to encourage children throughout the City of Philadelphia to strive for academic excellence; and the key role that every Philadelphian can play in helping the City’s children embark on a path that will lead them to becoming purpose-driven, productive, and successful adults will be discussed.


Universal Companies, Inc. and the House of Umoja, Inc. will conduct the National 2011 Million Father March on Tuesday, 6 September 2011. The March will begin at 7:00 A.M. at the Edwin H. Vare Middle School at 2100 South 24th Street and proceed to the Charles V. Audenreid School at 3301 Tasker Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


“Universal Companies, Inc. and the House of Umoja, Inc. have joined forces to minimize the distractions that our children have and to help every child throughout the City of Philadelphia focus on learning and performing well in school. We are asking every Father throughout the City of Philadelphia to escort their child to school on Tuesday, 6 September 2011, the first day of the 2011-2012 academic year. We are asking Fathers to encourage their children to excel academically, to ‘want more, be more, and do more,’ and to pick up a copy of their child’s roster along with a copy of the Academic Calendar Of Events from their child’s school. We would like Fathers to meet the principal and teachers of their child’s school and the House Of Umoja, Inc. is asking all Fathers to encourage their children to commit to nonviolence by signing the Imani Pledge. At the same time, on Tuesday, 6 September 2011 and every day during the 2011-2012 academic year, we are also asking Mothers, Fatherhood and Men’s organizations, educators, religious institutions, school administrators, legislators, health care professionals and providers, block captains, social services professionals and providers, members of the creative community, members of the business community, social entrepreneurs, grassroots community organizations, and concerned citizens throughout the City of Philadelphia to work together to help minimize and remove distractions that serve as obstacles to our children excelling academically and focusing solely on their education. And we encourage them to attend the press conference scheduled for Wednesday, 24 August 2011 at 12:00 P.M. at the School Administration Building at 400 North Broad Street. Our children are our future!” Mr. Fattah remarked.


Created in 1968, the House of Umoja, Inc.(www.houseofumoja.org) is an internationally acclaimed organization that has provided a life line to and positively shaped the minds and souls of over approximately 3,000 young urban males between the ages of 15 through 18 in the City of Philadelphia. The House of Umoja, Inc.’s successful track record of working with and positively transforming youths has moved universities and institutions that include, but are not limited to, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Prevention and the Center for Disease Control to seek the House of Umoja, Inc.’s expertise in the areas of gang reduction, youth programming, and community organizing. Former United States Presidents Jimmy Carter and the late Ronald Reagan have recognized the House Of Umoja, Inc. for its pioneering work which has been documented in published articles such as A Summons To Life, by Robert Woodson of the American Enterprise Institute in 1981 and The Violent Juvenile Offender by Paul DeMuro and Richard Allison of the National Council On Crime And Delinquency in 1984.


Universal Companies, Inc. (www.universalcompanies.org) was established in 1993 by Mr. Kenneth Gamble, an internationally acclaimed songwriter, composer, and producer who is also the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of world-renowned Philadelphia International Records and is credited with being the creator of The Sound of Philadelphia which moved the City of Philadelphia to the global entertainment industry's center stage. Under Mr. Gamble's leadership, Universal Companies, Inc., a not-for-profit community development and community management company, has launched and implemented successful multi-tiered initiatives that address critical housing, education, health, and social services issues in the City of Philadelphia.


For further information about Universal Companies, Inc., visit the organization's website at www.universalcompanies.org) or contact the organization by telephone (215) 732-6518 or send an e-mail to: info@universalcompanies.org.


For further information about the National 2011 Million Father March in the City of Philadelphia and the House of Umoja, Inc., visit the organization's website at www.houseofumoja.org or contact the organization by telephone at (215) 473-5893 or send an e-mail to: falakafattah@aol.com.