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Overview and History of National Family Week
Sam Wiley, an Indianapolis teacher and school administrator, started National Family week in 1968 as a means to provide Americans with an opportunity to promote strong families. Legislation was passed to have the week of Thanksgiving recognized nationwide as National Family Week.
For 40 years, the Alliance for Children and Families, a national membership organization headquartered in Milwaukee has coordinated and promoted National Family Week throughout the country.
National Family Week local events linked nonprofit organizations, businesses, governmental entities, education groups, and families in the United States. These observances garnered well-deserved attention from local, state, and national policymakers, as well as from the media, and resulted in improved circumstances for children and families in local communities.
National Family Week
has proven to be a great time to honor the special connections that support
and strengthen families. That's why the theme of National Family Week is
Connection's Count. National Family Week embodies the premise that
children live better lives when their families are strong, and families are
strong when they live in communities that connect them to economic
opportunities, social networks, and services.
Many family and community organizations, schools, universities, and
nonprofit organizations celebrate National Family Week. In addition, the
President of the United States, many governors, and local communities issue
National Family Week proclamations. National Family Week receives funding
and support from The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a private charitable
organization dedicated to helping build better futures for children in the
United States.