(ALLENTOWN, PA) – The Allentown Rescue Mission will hold its Second Annual Date with Dad luncheon
this Father’s Day, June 15, 2025. The father/child cookout will once again reunite fathers experiencing
homelessness with their children for an afternoon of food and family bonding.
“Our men are training to become men of integrity. They make firm commitments and strive to better
themselves and their relationships with their wives and children. This luncheon gives the men an
opportunity to reconcile and start to mend their relationships within their families,” stated Heather
Schweizer, Transformation Program Associate at the Allentown Rescue Mission.
Many men in crisis and experiencing homelessness are frequently overlooked as fathers. Forty-one
percent of all men experiencing homelessness have children under the age of 18, according to
Greendoors.org. Statistics regarding the social consequences of children living in a fatherless home and
the trauma associated with parents being separated from children are devastating.
The Allentown Rescue Mission works tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate, and restore dads to their families
every day. The Mission’s Transformation Program, an eight-week Christ-centered program, explores
topics such as fatherhood responsibilities and second chances with family. The staff emphasizes the
importance of family relationships and the positive effects of having a father present in the home to
build stronger dads and families.
