Project Fatherhood (SM): News Article: Dr. Hershel Swinger's Legacy Lives On
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February 23, 2012
Dr. Hershel Swinger's Legacy Lives On
Visionary founder and architect of Project Fatherhood
Dr. Hershel K. Swinger, the visionary founder of Project Fatherhood, passed away on May 23, 2011.
Dr. Swinger dedicated most of his adult life to helping children recover from the devastating effects of trauma, including family and community violence, abuse and neglect. In addition to his role as a licensed psychologist and college professor, he was a leader at Children’s Institute for more than 25 years, and he was instrumental in establishing CII’s national reputation for implementing innovative program and treatment models.
Dr. Swinger is perhaps best known as the founder of CII’s Project Fatherhood, a program designed to engage low-income, urban fathers in a meaningful way in the lives of their children. Over the past decade, Dr. Swinger’s efforts have reached tens of thousands of fathers and their children. With major federal support, the program was expanded through a countywide network of fatherhood support groups. And nationally, Project Fatherhood has been recognized by the Obama Administration as part of the President’s Responsible Fathers and Strong Communities Initiative.
Dr. Swinger reached still more children and families in his capacity as a professor of Counselor Education at California State University, Los Angeles, where he taught and mentored several generations of emerging child welfare professionals.
Many of us who had the privilege of knowing Dr. Swinger will remember his inimitable way of taking a moment—no matter how busy he was or how much was going on—and asking with such sincerity and interest, “How are you doing?” He shared that compassion with his family, his friends, his colleagues, and every one of the thousands of children who was fortunate to find him.
With Dr. Swinger’s passing, we lost one of our strongest advocates for children here in Los Angeles and beyond. He is one of those rare treasures in our lives whose death has left a tremendous void, but whose legacy will live on for generations.
