I am pleased to announce the merger of Sacks Media Group and Fathers & Families. Our merger gives the family court reform movement an excellent chance to build the powerful, well-funded national advocacy group it has long needed to effectively drive our agenda forward.
There are many groups and individuals doing good work on these issues. However, nobody has yet built the unified organization this movement needs to go up against the well-funded national organizations which oppose shared parenting.
I have by far the largest E-Newsletter list (50,000+) and web traffic of any advocacy organization. Fathers & Families brings its own E-list, funding, staff, success in the media, and history of accomplishments. Fathers & Families’ starting point of over 50,000 people is a giant step towards the unification of this movement, and we expect to grow another 25% in 2009.
Ned Holstein, MD, MS, the founder of Fathers & Families, recruited me to this position. He will work closely with me as Chairman of the Board.
In addition, we will seek ways of working cooperatively with other groups and individuals around the country. This will include establishing affiliated chapters in addition to the ones we already have in Massachusetts and California.
How You Can Help
There is tremendous potential here and a lot of work to be done. We’re looking for people willing to help in a variety of ways–please fill out our volunteer information form here.
An effective organization requires money–to make a gift, click here.
Join the new Fathers & Families Action Squad by clicking here.
Fathers & Families’ Accomplishments Are Many
These include:
• Reduced excessive child support by over $1 billion from 2001 through 2008 in Massachusetts. Won seat on the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines Task Force in 2007-2008.
• Enlisted over one-quarter of the Massachusetts Legislature as co-sponsors of our shared parenting bill.
• Gathered thousands of signatures to place shared parenting on the 2004 Massachusetts ballot; led successful campaign for its passage, winning 86% of the vote.
• Instrumental in passing law opening up access to report cards and school records to non-custodial parents in Massachusetts.
• Persuaded the Boston Globe to become first major newspaper in country to endorse shared parenting in principle in editorial (Feb 23, 2008).
• Wrote amicus brief which helped win precedent-setting Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court case protecting children in joint physical custody from being moved out of state, away from one parent.
• Pushed “shared parenting’ to the number one issue on the Massachusetts Governor”s website for citizen input.
Working Together, Glenn Sacks, Fathers & Families & Its Allies Have:
• Led a 2008 campaign which stopped FOX from airing an anti-father reality TV show called Bad Dads.
• Helped spearhead massive nationwide grassroots protest campaign against anti-father PBS show on custody, forcing production of an even-handed documentary.
• Helped spearhead a successful national protest campaign against Florida”s refusal to reunite a fit and loving Cuban dad with his daughter.
• Led a campaign against anti-father Dallas domestic violence bus ads, garnering widespread, positive media coverage which included CNN, The Associated Press, FOX, CBS, hundreds of radio stations throughout the country, and many newspapers.
Other Glenn Sacks Campaigns Include…
• Glenn helped lead successful campaigns in 2004 and 2006 to defeat California bills which would have made it too easy for custodial parents to move children to other states without regard for children”s best interests.
• Glenn helped pass a California bill to protect military parents” rights in family court. SB 1082 was signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2005.
Media Presence
Glenn Sacks & Fathers & Families have established a presence in major broadcast and print media, including multiple appearances on CNN, ABC, FOX, CBS, PBS, and NPR, as well as in Newsweek, Time, the New York Times Sunday Magazine, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, People magazine, the New York Times, USA Today, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, and hundreds of others.
Fathers & Families’ Mission
Fathers & Families improves the lives of children and strengthens society by protecting the child”s right to the love and care of both parents after separation or divorce. We seek better lives for children through family court reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers.
Fathers & Family’s Core Principles are:
• Shared Parenting
• Gender Equality
• Respect for Human and Property Rights
I’m happy to work with a variety of groups to help advance our issues.
Introducing Robert A. Franklin
As many of you know, for the past six weeks Robert A. Franklin has been handling much of the blogging at www.FathersandFamilies.org and www.GlennSacks.com, and has been doing an excellent job. Franklin is a national board member of Fathers & Families and is an important part of our organization and movement. To learn more about Robert, see his biography here.
A Thanks
As I take on my new role as Executive Director of Fathers & Families, I think of the many people who have taught me so much about these issues over the years. I hesitate to name names, because I will inevitably leave out many others. But just to name a handful, I’d like to thank Dianna Thompson, Mike McCormick, Dave Roberts, Marc Angelucci, David L. Levy, Mike Robinson, Warren Farrell, Lisa Scott, Stan DiOrio, Ned Holstein, Rita Fuerst Adams, Stephen Walker, Jayne Major, Mike Oddenino, Peter Walzer, Jim Cook, Jack Kammer, Cathy Young, Sanford Braver, Stephen Baskerville, Phil Cook, Don Dutton, Christina Hoff Sommers, Jane Spies, Carnell Smith, Ron Henry, Jim Semerad, and countless others.
Best Wishes,
Glenn Sacks, MA
Executive Director
Fathers & Families
GlennSacks@FathersandFamilies.org
and
Ned Holstein, MD, MS
Founder and Chair of the Board
nedholstein@fathersandfamilies.org