The Father Center, (formerly UIH Family Partners) has recently announced their 2021  Community Service Award recipient for this year’s Platinum Dads event. Because of their deep on-going commitment to working with and alongside many nonprofit partners, and making sure experiences and activities in the cultural arts are intentionally made accessible to local residents, Grounds For Sculpture was unanimously selected by The Father Center’s Platinum Dads committee. Julio Badel, Manager of Experiential Programs who recently piloted an innovative sneaker design workshop for the Healthy Relationship, Health Choices program for 9th grade boys will accept the award on behalf of the organization.

Karen Andrade-Mims, Executive Director of The Father Center, and her team want to make sure our community knows the importance of fathers, both for families and in society-at-large through an annual Platinum Dads Awards event, and in so doing, also recognize one community partner annually who goes above and beyond in their public-spirited offerings.

“Every year we get the distinct honor of illuminating the positive stories about an organization doing remarkable work in our region, and we love to give them the acknowledgement they deserve,” said Andrade-Mims. “The Father Center has a long history of working with the Grounds For Sculpture and we plan to continue building on our established and cherished partnership.”

GFS Executive Director Gary Garrido Schneider added, “Our ongoing collaboration, through virtual entrepreneurship and design workshops as well as team-building and retreat activities, has been part of Grounds For Sculpture’s commitment to providing innovative programs in the arts, in collaboration with local partners.”

Platinum Dads will take place safely and virtually as a web broadcast and will stream live from The Father Center’s new headquarters located at 1 West Street in Trenton on Saturday morning, June 19, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST. In addition to Grounds For Sculpture, the following men will be honored at the 2021 Platinum Dads event: Christopher R. Kinkade, Mayor Hemant Marathe, Dr. Jay Edward Purnsley, Kevin Leahy, William (Bill) Davis, Bilal Floyd, and Frank Lucchesi. Phillip J. Roundtree, the CEO and Founder of Quadefy LLC will provide an insightful presentation on fatherhood.

More event elements will be announced in the coming weeks as they develop. Sponsorships are available for individuals and companies wanting to support and get exposure through one of New Jersey’s “feel good” events of the year. You may reach out to Karen Andrade-Mims, Executive Director to request a sponsor packet at kandrade-mims@thefathercenter.org.