“The alarming drop in marriage rates in America combined with high divorce rates are costly to the nation. The nation needs to pay attention.”

Pro-family and faith-based organizations across the United States marked the start of National Marriage Week on Sunday to draw special attention on the need to strengthen marriage and the ways to do it.

From Feb. 7 until Feb. 14, marriage advocates will make strategic and concerted efforts to bring about change in the United States as marriage-related statistics show declines in many areas, including the percentage of married adults and the percentage of children born out of wedlock.

According to a report released last year by the National Center on African American Marriages and Parenting (NCAAMP) and the Institute for American Values, only 57 percent of adults were married in 2008, compared to the 78 percent that were married in 1970.

The percentage of children in America who were born out of wedlock, meanwhile, was 40 in 2008 – 72 percent, when only counting African American children.

“The alarming drop in marriage rates in America combined with high divorce rates are costly to the nation,” says Chuck Stetson, chairman of National Marriage Week USA. “The nation needs to pay attention.”

To help turn the tide, National Marriage Week USA participants will be initiating new efforts to reduce the divorce rate and build a stronger marriage culture, which in turn will help curtail poverty and benefits children.

READ MORE: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100207/national-marriage-week-usa-launches-to-turn-tide/