National Family Week originated in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 and takes place the week before Thanksgiving every year. It was proclaimed an official week by the government of Canada in 1985. National Family Week is celebrated throughout the country with special events put on by community organizations. National Family Week also exists in The United Kingdom

National Family Week (UK)

National Family Week is an annual event in the UK taking place throughout the Summer half term holiday , in late May/early June. The campaign aims to celebrate family life, encourage families to spend more time together and highlights the important role families play in society...

, The United States and Australia.

It is a distinct event from Family Day

Family Day

Family Day is the name of a public holiday in South Africa, in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Prince Edward Island, in the American states of Arizona and Nevada, in Vanuatu, in Vietnam and in the Australian Capital Territory.- Australian Capital Territory...

 which is a statutory holiday created by the provincial governments of Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

 and Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....

.

Action

National Family Week has two different main purposes. The first is to celebrate the contribution that families make in our lives, and the second involves the distribution of resource materials/kits. These kits contain activities and ideas related to the annual theme and are available to families as well as those who work with them. They are developed by FRP Canada in partnership with other national partners.

Organizers

The Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs (FRP Canada) is a non-profit organization that aims to help families by providing resources, national leadership and consultation to those who care for and support them. Their vision is "to build a Canada that cares for its children, its families and its communities." There are over 2000 family resource programs in Canada serving approximately 500,000 families.

For more than 10 years, Family Service Canada coordinated National Family Week activities. At the invitation of Family Service Canada, FRP Canada took on the lead role in 2007.

Government Perspective

National Family Week offers an opportunity for the federal government to honour families and to introduce new legislation or modify existing laws in ways that it deems will help families.

In 2007, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Monte Solberg, stated that "Canada's New Government is proud to celebrate National Family Week and to recognize the important role that families play in this country. Families are the building blocks of our society, and we will continue delivering on our commitment to support and strengthen them.”

National Family Week UK

National Family Week takes place during the Summer half term holiday and is backed by over 180 not-for-profit organisations and has broad political support is organized by Family Week Ltd, part of the Henley Media Group. Although it received Lottery funding in its inaugural year it receives no government funding and operates through commercial sponsorship and support by not-for-profit partners.

National Family Week United States

National Family Week in the United States takes place the week of American Thanksgiving. It was first proclaimed by Ronald Reagan on November 19, 1987. It is organized by the Alliance for Children and Families

Alliance for Children and Families

The Alliance for Children and Families, also referred to as simply the Alliance, is an international, membership-based non-profit organization. Its nearly 400 members from almost every U.S...

.

National Families Week Australia

The Australian Government, through the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, sponsors National Families Week with Families Australia. Centrelink also promotes National Families Week and provides support through its national network.