By Tom Momberg
In celebration of Father’s Day, the city Department of Youth and Community Development brought hundreds of fathers who don’t have custody of their children together with their kids at the Queens Zoo on Saturday to reconnect over nature and animals.
The fathers, who came out for what was DCYD’s eighth-annual Nurturing Through Nature Father’s Day Celebration, are enrolled in the department’s fatherhood programs, which help non-custodial fathers reconnect with their kin and develop essential parenting skills.
Children came from throughout the five boroughs to participate in a scavenger hunt, a parrot show, zoo tour and even got a chance to hand feed some sea lions, while also connecting with their fathers, guardians or father figures.
DCYD’s fatherhood programs provide children and dads with up to six months of case management by helping them with material and financial support as they navigate the engagement and responsibilities of family life.
The programs serve three different groups of fathers: Young fathers under the age of 24, older fathers and dads with a history in the criminal justice system. Visit www.nyc.gov/
—Tom Momberg
