Three Hundred Military Families Reunited This Father's Day

Operation Homefront and Dove® Men + Care® Join Forces To Return Deployed Dads Home To Their Families

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Jun 11, 2013, 09:18 ET

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Three hundred active duty servicemen will be able to head home this Father's Day so that they can care for their families. Dove^® Men+Care^® and non-profit organization Operation Homefront are teaming up to launch the "Mission: Care" campaign, which helps military dads (and moms) make the journey from their base to their families to spend quality time with their children.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/62043-unilever-dove-men-care-return-deployed-military-dads-home

To remind all families to make every moment together count, especially on Father's Day, Dove^® Men+Care^® captured a surprise reunion for one military dad and his family. This heartfelt film features the serviceman, named John, his wife and children, after being apart for almost one year. They share their feelings about fatherhood including how time away (due to work) affects him. John's experience represents one story of hundreds that will take place across the country in time for the holiday weekend, thanks to the "Mission: Care" campaign. To see the film, go to www.dovemencare.com/missioncare.

"Whether working a nine-to-five job, traveling for business or even serving in the military, there is an emotional tax on dads when they experience time away from their children," said Rob Candelino, VP of Marketing at Unilever. "Dove^® Men + Care^® is reuniting hundreds of military dads who care for our country so that they can go home and care for their families firsthand this Father's Day."

The Faces of Fatherhood: Dads Share Their Stories
Missing out on everyday moments with their children takes a toll on men. In fact, most men (94%) feel more confident, and even more productive in other parts of their lives when regularly able to see their kids[1]. "Mission: Care" will enable active duty dads who have been deployed multiple times, around different parts of the world, to be with their children for family dinners, birthdays, and other moments every dad treasures.

Visit www.dovemencare.com/missioncare to learn about the anticipated reunions of participating servicemen, as well as how they will spend their time home, including these two military fathers:

John:

Husband and father of two
"This Father's Day will be the first time our family is together and complete since last year...I am excited to see my daughter, my newborn son who I have yet to meet, and my wife, just a few days after our five year anniversary."

Christopher:

Father of two
"I haven't seen my oldest daughter in three years; I've only spoken to her via phone conversations. We talk as often as possible, but there is nothing like seeing your kids – that means everything. During my last conversation with her she asked to see me for her birthday. Returning home for Father's Day will be the gift of a lifetime for us both."

"As a veteran and military spouse, I know that these active duty dads are focused on providing for our country but also their families," said Operation Homefront CEO, Jim Knotts. "Almost 50% of active duty service members are parents[2], and while technology allows communication, nothing can replace the feeling of physically being with your family—we are so proud to partner with Dove^® Men + Care^® and give this gift to hundreds of service members."

Everyone can champion dads and stories like these by supporting Dove^® Men + Care^® products including personal wash, antiperspirant/deodorant, face care and hair care at Walmart through November 2013. Dove^® Men + Care^®, a Unilever men's personal care brand, is proud work with Operation Homefront to launch the "Mission: Care" program. The campaign further underscores Unilever's ongoing commitment to supporting those who serve our country in the workforce, including a recent initiative supporting the training, and hiring of veterans, by Advantage Sales and Marketing.

About Dove
Dove, manufactured by Unilever, is the No. 1 personal wash brand nationwide. One in every three households uses a Dove product[3], which includes beauty bars, body washes, face care, anti-perspirant/deodorants, body mists, hair care and styling aids. Dove^® Men+Care^® is the newest range of products from Dove, developed specially for men. Dove is available nationwide in food, drug and mass outlet stores.

About Unilever North America
Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries. Our products are present in 7 out of 10 homes globally and are used by over 2 billion people on a daily basis. In the United States and Canada the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy, Consort For Men, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Good Humor, Hellmann's, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Just for Me!, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Magnum, Motions, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond's, Popsicle, Promise, Q-tips, Ragu, Simple, Slim-Fast, Soft & Beautiful, St. Ives, Suave, tcb, TIGI, TRESemme, Vaseline, and Wish-Bone. All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies.

Our ambition is to double the size of our business, whilst reducing our overall environmental footprint (including sourcing, consumer use and disposal) and increasing our positive social impact. We are committed to helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being, sourcing all our agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020, and decoupling our growth from our environmental impact. Supporting our three big goals are more than 50 time-based targets. See more on the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan at http://www.unileverusa.com/sustainable-living/ or http://www.unilever.ca/sustainable-living/.

Unilever employs more than 12,000 people across North America – generating over $10 billion in sales in 2012. For more information visit www.unileverusa.com or www.unilever.ca.

About the Operation Homefront
A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 6,500 volunteers with nationwide presence who provide emergency and other financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. Operation Homefront has met more than 741,000 needs of military families since its inception in 2002. A four-star rated charity by watchdog Charity Navigator, nationally, 94 percent of total revenue donated to Operation Homefront goes directly to programs that provide support to our military families. For more information, go to www.OperationHomefront.net.

[1] 2013 Dove Men+Care Fatherhood Study
[2] 2012 Demographics Report, Profile of the Military Community
[3] AC Nielsen (2010)

Emma Frane/Edelman
(212) 277-3752
[email protected]

Stacie Bright/Unilever
[email protected]

SOURCE Unilever