William and Nancy Devlin
Philadelphia, PA
The National Parents of the Year 2001 are William and Nancy Devlin of Philadelphia, PA.  They were honored at the 7th Annual National Parents Day Celebration held in Washington, DC on July 25, 2001 at the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill.

Some may call them mavericks, others may call them impassioned, but one thing is certain: William and Nancy Devlin are inspired, committed, and determined to cross all boundaries of race, religion, and income level in their mission to restore families and "turn the hearts of the fathers to their children." The parents of five children – three daughters and two sons – the Devlins teach, by example, selfless service to the community, nation and world.

Daughter Naomi, now 20, recalls an episode that occurred when she was just five, which will forever remain in her heart: "I remember Mom and Dad talking with the woman who lived across the street because her boyfriend beat her two little girls. They invited them into our home in the middle of the night and they let one of the little girls wear my favorite purple pajamas. I was not very happy about this at the time, and I let my parents know that. But today, I see that this was one of the first lessons of selfless giving that my parents gave me. It is my parents’ example and their unconditional love for me that helped me develop from that selfish little girl."
Informally, the Devlins’ outreach includes shuttling neighborhood children to and from baseball and soccer games and offering an "open door" invitation to the family dinner table. Formally, their mission takes the form of the Urban Family Council (UFC), an urban-based, interracial, pro-life, pro-family organization they founded that has its roots in their activities in the early ‘80’s with the Christian Action Council. Today, UFC is thriving with 10 full-time employees, 75 volunteers, and a $500,000 budget, and it currently conducts more than 600 marriage/ fatherhood / abstinence programs in local schools.
The Devlins’ outspoken moral stance and outreach have not been without risk or retaliation. They have been mocked in anti-family publications. One of their programs was blocked from a public school because educators considered the word "marriage" to be "judgmental" and "non-inclusive." Yet the couple remains undaunted and more impassioned than ever. A veteran of Vietnam combat, a former missionary to Japan, and the child of an alcoholic father who abandoned his family, William takes opposition in stride. An elder in an inner-city multi-ethnic church, he is sought after to speak out on cultural and family issues and has a weekly radio program.

A moving tribute to the Devlins’ tireless public service was recently given by Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, who declared: "The Devlins have established themselves as a moral force in the region, helping children and adults alike to achieve and develop their talents and dreams."