Real Men Cook’s 2016 Father’s Day Celebration Expands From One Site to 27 in Tribute to RMC’s 27th Anniversary
In honor of its 27th anniversary, Real Men Cook — Chicago’s premiere urban Father’s Day charity event – will depart from past years’ formats by holding the much-anticipated event at 27 venues citywide/suburbanwide. The event will be held on Father’s Day, June 19 at 3PM. This represents a powerful pivot from past years where the Father’s Day celebration was held at one location. Real Men Cook® president, Rael Jackson, son of founders Yvette and Kofi Moyo, said that the change is prompted by men committed to maintaining the Father’s Day tradition created by Real Men Cook while incorporating their own style and traditions. They will cook their favorite dishes and serve those they know and touch on a daily basis. The overarching goal is to influence young men to serve and grow their families and communities.
The events will continue Real Men Charities’, Inc. tradition of promoting health and wellness, prevention and awareness for families and children. Accordingly, each locale will serve healthy foods and broadcast the message that food is medicine.
The new format will be held at 27 locations. Among the Chicago communities where the celebration will be held are Englewood, Chatham, South Shore, Hyde Park, Lawndale, Bronzeville, Auburn Gresham, Park Manor and more. There will also be events in South Suburban cities and other outlying areas. In these individual sites, men will serve in churches, fraternity houses, homeless shelters, their blocks, backyards, homes and parks. At each location, they will demonstrate that Real Men Cook, Love and Care.
Jackson said that the new format would allow the event’s message to have a broader reach as it expands the Father’s Day tradition of family and community food-fests. As has been the practice since its founding, Real Men Cook 2016 will shine a spotlight on the men and promote awareness of the positive things they are doing to uplift their families and their communities.
Jackson predicts the 27 events will attract nearly 10,000 from Chicago and the surrounding area. Nationally, he projects that it will draw 60,000 people to Real Men Cook food fests nationwide including in Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Newark, New Orleans and Philadelphia.
The events will be documented by live video and photos and will have a prominent social media presence. Combined with news coverage and a word-of-mouth campaign, the events are expected to reach millions.
Jackson believes the newly-revamped event represents the beginning of a broader Movement. “Life is about change,” he declared, “and localizing and expanding the event’s reach is a way of keeping the healthy families, good men Movement vibrant.”
Celebrities, media personalities, ministers, politicians, entertainers, athletes, local community leaders, chefs and everyday hard-working fathers will participate as part of their resolve to uplift the family and defy the negative images often depicted in the media.
Real Men Cook is the largest, longest-running and most-anticipated Father’s Day celebration of its kind. It provides a platform where “real men” from all walks of life are honored for demonstrating extraordinary commitment to their families and to their communities. In keeping with Real Men Cook’s core mission. each venue will award men for the contributions they have made in their communities.
Some of the high-profile men who have donned a chef’s hat and participated in the past include U.S. Senator Barack Obama, Congressmen Danny Davis, Congressman John Conyers, and John Lewis. Senate President Emil Jones and his son Senator Emil Jones and Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. and his sons, former Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Professor Jonathan Jackson have also joined in past celebrations.
In this new format, the community can attend as many of the events as they wish, in a fashion similar to a pub-crawl. Those who opt to attend multiple celebrations will witness the different flavors and styles while seeing the same commitment to promoting fathers and family that has been at the heart of Real Men Cook.
For more information, visit www.realmencook.com or contact: Melody McDowell @ 312-371-8917 or Yvette Moyo @ 773-425-4113
About Real Men Cook
Real Men Cook was conceived and launched in Chicago in 1989 by entrepreneurs Yvette Moyo and Kofi Moyo as a local Father’s Day family celebration. The original concept grew to being celebrated in as many as 13 cities and evolved into a national Father’s Day tradition.Real Men Cook’s success spawned the creation of a number of products including Real Men Cook Sweet Potato Pound Cake®, a boxed cake mix that was introduced in January 2004 and was distributed to over 800 groceries nationwide. The book REAL MEN COOK (formerly REAL MEN COOK: Rites, Rituals and Recipes for Living,) is published by Simon & Schuster, with the foreword by now-President Barack Obama. The book highlights family celebrations around food and pays tribute to the participants. It includes a compilation of the favorite recipes of almost 100 of the nation’s– and Chicago’s –famous men. It is available for purchase on amazon.com.
