2009 Capacity-Building Awardees

NFI is pleased to announce the 2009 Capacity-Building Awardees. To view information about each awardee, click on the link below.

Awardee Narratives

Alameda County Public Health Dept./Improving Pregnancy Outcomes Program
San Leandro, CA

Originally established as Oakland Healthy Start over 15 years ago, the Improving Pregnancy Outcomes Program (IPOP) serves low-income, medically and socially at-risk pregnant and parenting African American women and their infants. IPOP is one of over 100 programs across the country that is federally-funded to reduce infant mortality and improve perinatal health outcomes under the auspices of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

IPOP also serves African American fathers of children 0-2 years of age and male partners of women with children 0-2 years of age. The goal of the program is to reduce infant mortality and improve pregnancy outcomes by providing case management, care coordination, health education and fatherhood services.

The fatherhood services component provides outreach, referrals and follow-up, and community health education classes to fathers, father-to-be, and father-figures. These services are provided in structured, semi-structured and unstructured formats. They include workshops, health education classes, and individual counseling and advocacy. Also, IPOP is licensed and trained to offer expectant and new fathers Boot Camp for New Dads, a three-hour session designed to prepare fathers for caring for a newborn and supporting his female partner during the postpartum period.

Our experience with fathers has proven that employment is an important concern for responsible fathers. We collaborate with various organizations that address these issues such as a local faith-based organization that accepts ex-felons into their program as a priority and assists them with expunging most criminal records. IPOP's comprehensive approach has allowed us to support low-income African American men, and show progress with men with criminal records to become gainfully employed and responsible fathers.

Please visit us online at www.acphd.org/default.asp.

Coshocton County Fatherhood Initiative | Back to Top |
Coshocton, OH

CCFI is a subcommittee of the Family & Children First Council, a county-wide consortium group which identifies and addresses the needs of families (including fathers) in Coshocton. CCFI's mission is to strengthen the family unit through engaging and empowering fathers and father figures to be meaningfully involved in and committed to the child's well being. Since inception in December of 2004 by a handful of social service workers, CCFI has impacted several hundred fathers through workshops, breakfasts, events, and other activities using national best practice curriculum and locally-developed programs containing "What Works" strategies. These programs and services are offered to all fathers and father figures including the unwed, married, divorced, separated, grandparent, teen or expectant fathers of Coshocton County, a Rural Appalachian community (total population 36,524/Est 2007). CCFI believes that Fathers are an essential piece in their child's life.

Center for Child & Family Services | Back to Top |
Hampton, VA

The Center for Child and Family Services (The Center), founded in 1943 is an independent, nonpartisan, nonsectarian nonprofit organization focused on providing behavioral, mental health, and financial counseling services to families who live on the Peninsula in the Tidewater region of Virginia. The Center's mission is to deliver quality counseling programs and support services that empower individuals and families to improve their lives. The Center offers 13 comprehensive and diverse programs to assist families in overcoming challenges, making responsible choices, and improving their quality of life through better employment, parenting skills, mental health/psychotherapy, violence prevention, anger management, trauma support, credit counseling, Hispanic Outreach, and supervised child visitation programs. Our fatherhood initiative will integrate the fatherhood initiative into all of our behavioral health programs, begin a Hispanic Fatherhood initiative and begin a Strengthening Marriages program.

Please visit us online at www.kidsandfamilies.com.

Community Empowerment Center | Back to Top |
Louisville, KY

The Community Empowerment Center, AMEC is a community service based church in the inner city of Louisville, KY. The mission of the Community Empowerment Center is to serve the needy and save the lost through a continuing program of uplifting, encouraging, empowering ministries. The mission of the Empowerment Man Up Fatherhood Initiative of the Community Empowerment Center is to empower men serving in the role of fathers and future fathers by providing them with the tools necessary for them to serve as responsible fathers through a continuing program of activities and services that promote healthy marriage, financial stability, and life planning. The Initiative is a free program for young adult fathers and future fathers (under the age of 25). The program offers support groups (networking) opportunities for young fathers and young fathers to be, teaches hands on skills with curriculum from the National Fatherhood Initiative, works as an advocate for the rights of a father, assist with combating the socio-economic disparities that deter a man for being an active, involved and responsible father.

For more information please contact us at (502)634-1040.

Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc. | Back to Top |
Tazewell, Virginia

"Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc. provides resources and opportunities to individuals, families and communities in a supportive environment to improve the quality of life. Clinch Valley Community Action treats each individual with respect and dignity in a professional manner."

Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc. (CVCA) became operational in 1965 as a private non-profit organization that primarily serves Tazewell County. CVCA provides emergency and supportive services through eleven (11) departments and thirty (30) programs.

As an umbrella agency for multiple departments and programs, CVCA offers the following services: Head Start which provides preschool education for children ages 3-4 and parenting classes; Weatherization which works with homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient; Literacy which works with adults, children and families to become literate; Kids' Place which provides after-school child care and a summer day camp for working families; Project Discovery which works with first-generation college students in grades 6-12 to prepare them for post-secondary education; Senior Volunteer Program which works with individuals ages 55 and older to find volunteer opportunities in our community as well as Senior Companions for clients over 65; Community Corrections which serves as a community sentencing and probation program for juvenile and adult offenders; HIP (Homeless Intervention Program) which provides financial assistance to individuals and families experiencing homelessness; Family Crisis Services which provides direct support services and advocacy to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; Housing Choice Voucher Program which provides rental assistance for individuals and families; and Workforce Investment Act (WIA) which workers with youth, adult and dislocated workers to obtain employment or the additional training and skills needed to obtain employment.

The Fatherhood Initiative at Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc. will focus on incorporating fatherhood issues across program areas and service populations. The Initiative anticipates working with fathers through Head Start, Community Corrections, Literacy, and Family Crisis Services. The goals of the Initiative are to improve relationships, to increase the number of fathers actively participating in the lives of their children, and to educate our community on the importance of father involvement.

Please visit us online at www.clinchvalleycaa.org.

Early Education Services | Back to Top |
Brattleboro, VT

Early Education Services (EES), located in Brattleboro, Vermont, is the early childhood arm of Brattleboro Town School District and comprehensively serves families with children from pregnancy to 6 years of age throughout Windham County. We do this with carefully blending Federal, State and local funds.

Our fundamental mission is to ensure the success of children in school by supporting families. One way we offer this support is through our programming. Home-based and center-based services are enhanced by a wide range of other programs. Our Fatherhood program includes a weekly support group for both program and community fathers in addition to a newly developed class for new fathers. Parenting classes are offered quarterly throughout the year. Our Healthy Marriage initiative provides an extensive series on relationships based on the Loving Couples, Loving Children curriculum. Quilting classes are also offered weekly at two sites. Throughout the year a wide range of workshops and activities are offered to enhance the involvement of parents in our program and in the lives of their children. Through area collaborations we are able integrate services more deeply into the larger community. We are a strong partner in our southeastern Vermont region and at the state level as well.

Expanding our services to fathers and father figures is a priority. Through a recent capacity building grant from the National Fatherhood Initiative, we are embarking on deepening and expanding our fatherhood work across the county, reaching out to blend program and community dads with opportunities and resources that will enhance their fatherhood experiences and raise community awareness about the vital role fathers, as well as mothers, play in the partnership of parenting.

Please visit us online at www.ees-vt.org.

Family Connection of South Carolina | Back to Top |
Columbia, SC

Organization's Mission:
The mission of Family Connection of South Carolina is to strengthen families of children with special needs through parent support. Based on the principle of parent-to-parent support, Family Connection's primary purpose is to provide emotional support, assurance and information, with emphasis on matching a referred family with a trained, veteran support parent who has faced similar problems. Family Connection also offers resources, information and education to parents or caregivers of children with special needs.

The majority of the supports and services to families who have children with special health-care needs focus on children and mothers, leaving fathers out (347,000 children with special needs in South Carolina). Often, fathers lack the "knowledge" needed to feel a part of their children's medical and educational decisions. Many fathers of children with special needs are unaware of the significance they have in their children's lives. The amazing facts of how different parenting styles bring balance in child development can be a life-changing discovery.

The Fathers Network:
Our mission is to celebrate and support fathers and families raising children with developmental delays, disabilities, or chronic illness. The South Carolina Fathers Network seeks to empower and educate men and women about the importance of fathers' involvement in their children's lives and to encourage men to become engaged in the lives of their children with special health-care needs by transforming their fathering behaviors. This Capacity Building grant will focus on:

Developing staff, the networks and tools needed to help fathers become actively engaged in the lives of their children.
Equipping men to facilitate father-to-father support, within Family Connection programs.

Please visit us online at www.familyconnectionsc.org.

Family Guidance Center of Alabama | Back to Top |
Montgomery, AL

Family Guidance Center of Alabama is a private, non-profit agency that has been meeting the needs of families since 1959. FGC's commitment to quality service is demonstrated by its affiliation with numerous accrediting bodies and funding sources. The agency is a member agency of the Alliance for Children and Families which has recognized FGC for its innovative, effective methods of providing vital services. The agency has offices in major regions of the state including Montgomery, Hayneville, Troy, Birmingham, Dothan, and Mobile. The staff of approximately 120 trained professionals delivers services to over 20,000 families annually. Since 1959, Family Guidance Center has distinguished itself as the agency that provides services that promote individual growth, family strength, and community wellness.

The Family Service & Resource Program (FSRP), incepted by the agency in 1996, is located on a campus setting with other Family Guidance Center programs in Montgomery, Alabama. The Family Service and Resource Program is a family service center, offering all families a continuum of no-cost services designed to strengthen their family. Like all the agency's programs, FSRP serves as a gateway for families to access the agency's many services and to link them with other services and programs in the community. FSRP offers a comprehensive array of wrap-around services designed to support families, including: computer classes and technology labs, individualized career development assistance, case management, emergency services, adult education, GED preparation classes, money management training, life skill seminars, in-home visitation, disaster services, fatherhood services, marriage and relationship enrichment classes, and adult mentoring.

The Fatherhood Program is a natural extension of family-focused services provided through the agency. The program is open to all fathers and is specially designed for non-custodial fathers who are having trouble with child support payments. The Fatherhood program offers no cost assistance to fathers in the following areas:

Finding employment
Enrollment in education and job training programs
Meeting court's expectations and avoiding incarceration
Playing an important role in their child's life

The Fatherhood Program of Family Guidance Center of Alabama is located on the agency's main campus at 2358 Fairlane Drive, Montgomery, Alabama, 36116, Building E. The program receives management oversight through Walter White, Ed.D., Executive Director, and Sue Barrett, M.S., Assistant Executive Director/Director of Family Services. Day-to-day operations are supervised by Shauntice Wood, M.S., Site Director of the Family Service and Resource Program. Javez Henderson, B.S., serves as Program Coordinator and works directly with the participating fathers. A part-time facilitator, Joseph Trimble teaches the Quenching the Father Thirst curriculum classes in the evenings. Fatherhood staff is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Mr. Henderson also attends child support court hearings at Montgomery County Child Support Court each Wednesday and Thursday, 9:00 AM to noon. Six 6-week group classes are held on consecutive Thursdays from 6:00-8:00 PM at the agency's Fairlane location.

Please visit us online at www.familyguidancecenter.org.

Family Services Center, Inc. | Back to Top |
Brownwood, TX

Family Services Center, Inc., is a non-profit agency that exists to strengthen individuals, children and families through professional counseling, education, advocacy, supportive services and collaboration. Since 1995, FSC has been promoting the health and well being of children and families. As a "one-stop-shop", the Center has several other social service agencies co-located within its building. This strengthens its ability to build community collaboration and provide a seamless system of service delivery. Through this collaboration, the Center continues meeting the ongoing and unmet needs of the community by making social services available, affordable, and accessible. Serving a seven-county service area allows the Center the opportunity to significantly increase its capacity of programs specifically designed for fathers.

Family Services Center's mission closely aligns with the National Fatherhood Initiative in its effort to educate fathers of the need to be involved, responsible and committed parents; equip and develop those who are able to lead fatherhood initiatives; and engage different sectors of the community in the process. In addition, to its fathering and parenting programs the Center also provides: Information and referral services; marriage education classes; Individual/ group/ family counseling; anger-management; mediation; access and visitation services (supervised visits/ exchanges); literacy; tutoring; Battering Intervention and prevention programs; resource coordination; child-care and case-management.

For more information please contact us at (325) 646-5939.

Fresh Start Community Development Corporation | Back to Top |
Anderson, SC

Fresh Start Community Development Corporation is a 501c-3 non-profit community organization located in Anderson, South Carolina. Fresh Start works to provide affordable housing opportunities, small business development along with a combination of job placement assistance, job development and asset-building programs to meet the needs of families in Anderson County.

Our signature initiative MAN-DATE, is a holistic approach to bring awareness, resources and engage fathers and leaders throughout the community. It is our belief that a fatherhood program, if it is to be effective, must contain elements of family engagement and connection. FSCDC is committed to addressing the relational needs of troubled individuals and families throughout our nation. Our background and experience with children of prisoners, at risk youth and families has proven to be life changing for many individuals served. Upon completion of the program, it is expected that each individual will have achieved and/or be working towards relational and emotional healing, thereby allowing him to be better adept in parenting his own children.

As a result of the National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity Building Initiative and with help from the National Fatherhood Initiative and the expertise provided at 2 Certification College trainings, Fresh Start Community Development Corporation will able to expand its capacity, upgrade our skill level regarding our programs, increase our visibly in the community, create a prison reentry and a 24/7 Dad model for inmates from South Carolina Department of Corrections, with a special emphasis on assisting low-income non-custodial fathers.

Please visit us online at www.freshstartcdc.org

First Things First of Greater Richmond | Back to Top |
Richmond, VA

First Things First of Greater Richmond (FTF) is a community based 501(c)3 non profit organization (CBO) "strengthening families for a better community." Mission: In an effort to reverse the trend of destructive relationships and to strengthen the infrastructure of our community, the mission of First Things First of Greater Richmond (FTF) is to:

Advocate for strong, healthy, life-long marriages.
Promote active involvement in their children's lives by both mothers and fathers.
Work to prevent out-of-wedlock pregnancies.

We utilize research based programs to provide healthy relationship and fatherhood skills education to a diversity of clients throughout the metropolitan region. Through collaborative substantial partnerships, we also provide training to underserved clients in partnership with other community and faith based organizations and public health-social services agencies amongst which we enjoy a very positive reputation. In 2007, FTF successfully introduced the new program, Boot Camp for New Dads, which has grown to serve 4 different hospitals with programs every other week in partnership with many OB/GYN physicians. We are also known for our healthy marriage/relationship skills education for couples, singles and youth and training for counselors and clergy.

The National Fatherhood Initiative grant will allow us to obtain additional staff training and to grow and sustain collaborative efforts to serve men and fathers. We will also host a Fatherhood Forum with Community Leaders and a Celebrate Fatherhood event.

For additional information go to www.FirstThingsRichmond.org

Greenwood Village Revitalization Movement | Back to Top |
Tuskegee Institute, AL

The Greenwood Village Revitalization Movement is a non-profit 501(c)(3) neighborhood organization that is dedicated to improving the physical, social, economic, and housing conditions of the Historic Greenwood Village in Tuskegee, Alabama. We will strive to re-create the "model" middle-class community that was envisioned by Booker T. Washington in 1901 through increasing homeownership and other self-sufficiency opportunities for our current, returning, and new residents of Greenwood Village. Our primary focus areas will be to improve Appearance, Safety, Housing & Economic Development, Youth Development, Asset Building, Pride, and Faith-Based Collaborations in the Greenwood Village neighborhood.

Through the NFI Capacity Building grant, GVRM, Inc. will create a sustainable program to address responsible fatherhood. This program will have a four-prong approach to address (1) expectant fathers' roles and responsibilities (teen & adult); (2) strengthening and providing resources for full-custodial fathers (biological, foster, & adoptive); (3) strengthening and providing resources for partial-custody fathers (biological); and (4) creating visitation and involvement activities for incarcerated fathers.

Please visit us online at www.ModelNeighborhood.org.

Henrico County Public Schools | Back to Top |
Henrico, VA

Henrico County Public Schools Federal Programs is committed to providing educational, health, nutritional and social services to at-risk children and their families. Parents are supported as they identify and meet their own goals and nurture the development of their children in the context of their family and culture.

The Parent Advisory Council is a vital component of Federal Programs comprised of 30+ parents and community representatives; the chairperson is a single father. The purpose of the parent council is to promote the involvement of parents in the planning, implementation and evaluation of federal programs and projects offered by Henrico County Public Schools. One goal of the council for is to increase male parental involvement through the fatherhood initiative.

The mission of the fatherhood initiative is to enhance the well-being of students by increasing the number of children growing up with an involved, responsible, and committed male through the positive development and influence of a father/male figure and to become productive members and role models in our society through proactive and educational programs.

The objective of this mission is to inspire males in the Henrico County community to become better men and fathers to their children and to the children of the community. This will be accomplished through collaborative efforts of Henrico County Public Schools, the Parent Advisory Council and the community at large by providing activities that encourage male participation in the lives and education of children.

Please visit us online at www.henrico.k12.va.us.

Korean Churches for Community Development | Back to Top |
Los Angeles, CA

Korean Churches for Community Development (KCCD) is a faith-based non-profit organization with the mission to strengthen communities by maximizing the resources of Korean and Asian American faith-based and partner organizations. KCCD employs a two-pronged approach consisting of direct in-language service to the Korean and Asian American community as well as capacity building for other non-profits. Our direct service is headlined by our foreclosure prevention counseling and our classes in homebuyer education, financial literacy, relationship enhancement, and marriage enrichment. Our capacity building consists of technical assistance and training for non-profit organizations in the greater Los Angeles areas as well as on a national level at our national conferences.

KCCD currently offers marriage enrichment classes and relationship enhancement classes, but a fatherhood program has yet to be implemented. The Responsible Fatherhood Capacity Building Grant will provide KCCD with an opportunity to assess the fatherhood needs of the Korean and Asian American community, as well as develop an effective fatherhood program to address those needs. While our program will be open to all fathers, there will be a special emphasis on the strengthening cross-generational and cross-cultural relationships in Korean and Asian American families. Our aim is to accurately assess the needs of the Korean and Asian American community and to develop a comprehensive, accessible, in-language fatherhood program which will cater to the community and strengthen families through responsible fatherhood.

Please visit us online at www.kccd3300.org.

Kindering Center/WSFN (Washington State Fathers Network) | Back to Top |
Bellevue, WA

Kindering, a not-for-profit neurodevelopment center, has been providing comprehensive services for children with special needs and their families since 1962. Each year several thousand infants and children receive crucial therapies, special education, and counseling. Dads, moms, siblings, and grandparents also have programs addressing their unique needs. Current programs are built on research, the needs of our community and are evaluated regularly for effectiveness and client satisfaction.

WSFN (www.fathersnetwork.org), a program of Kindering, is designed specifically for fathers of children with special needs. There are sixteen chapters of the program across the State of Washington, facilitated and lead by volunteer fathers. WSFN provides a vital and unique connection for fathers of children with special needs, as well as encouraging fathers to continue their growth towards becoming more competent and compassionate dads and spouses. WSFN produces a newsletter, videos, written materials, and national speakers.

Please visit us online at www.kindering.org or www.fathersnetwork.org.

Lucas County TASC (Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime) | Back to Top |
Toledo, OH

The Lucas County TASC Program was established in 1992 as a department within the Toledo/Lucas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. In 1996 TASC separated from CJCC and formed the first free standing non-profit TASC program in Ohio. Lucas County TASC, Inc. currently operates 14 separate projects, has 27 staff and a budget of $2.6 million. In addition to the main office, TASC operates a satellite office at the Lucas County Jail and Toledo Municipal Court. TASC staff provides mental health and substance abuse assessment, professional case management, cognitive based groups and supportive housing services to adult and juvenile offenders.

TASC currently operates the Lucas County Returning Home Family Case Management Project providing pre-release and post-release family programming, including the Strengthening Families curriculum and home based family case management. We also serve fathers in our Family Drug Court, Adult and Juvenile TASC and Department of Youth Services reentry programs. We will , in partnership with the FBI (Fathers Being Involved) program, take advantage of the NFI Capacity Building Grant to develop and promote responsible fatherhood initiatives and improve the intervention and marketing skills of staff members to provide community awareness and program sustainability.

Please visit us online at www.lucastasc.org.

Life Network of Southern Illinois | Back to Top |
Waterloo, IL

LIFE Network of Southern Illinois (LNSI) is a not-for-profit Pregnancy Resource Center located in Waterloo, IL. A satellite center is located in Washington Park, IL. LNSI has been in continuous operation since 1995 and serves clients in rural and inner city communities within a fifty mile radius. The diverse client base ranges from those at the poverty level to upper middle class. The mission statement of LNSI is "Life Network is a Christ-centered ministry committed to upholding the sanctity of human life." Client services include pregnancy testing, ultrasound, STD testing/treatment, peer counseling, "Earn While You Learn" life skills training, childbirth/newborn care classes and abstinence education classes. An abortion recovery program, Life Redeemed, and a men's ministry program, Dads For Life, were initiated in 2007. A new program, Students For Life, was initiated this year.

Please visit us online at www.lovingtouchprc.org.

Maine Boys to Men | Back to Top |
Portland, ME

Maine Boys to Men (B2M) was initially established as a community coalition in 1998 to address interpersonal violence prevention through health promotion programming. For four years, B2M produced four highly rated and very successful statewide conferences for adolescent boys, their fathers and/or adult male mentors. In 2004, B2M became a not-for-profit organization and has consistently introduced new programs and opportunities to support the healthy development of boys and young men while simultaneously staying true to its mission to end interpersonal violence. With the assistance of our program partners, our current program offerings are expansive and address the physical, emotional, social and academic needs of boys throughout the state of Maine. To date, Boys to Men has successfully engaged more than 2,850 boys and 1,800 adults in programming. B2M's increasingly extensive offerings include asset-building after-school workshops for Portland area youth*; Reducing Sexism and Violence Program (RSVP), a "training the trainers" leadership development program for students in high schools that teaches media literacy, gender awareness and "the bystander response" to violence prevention; ABLE, a semester-long boys leadership development program (in partnership with Rippleffect) offered as a credited course at two local high schools for boys primarily of immigrant and refugee decent; the Maine Boys Network (MBN), a statewide coalition that: a) conducts research into best practice modalities for working with and raising boys to be academically successful, and b) educates parents, teachers and policy makers on strategies to increase boys' academic achievement; and several annual statewide conferences for boys, their fathers and adult mentors to explore the challenges and celebrate the richness of growing up male today. All of the B2M programs offer opportunities for boys and young men to explore and create a deeper and expanded understanding of what it means to be male today.

*The after-school program we are currently running is the Fatherhood Film project, a film making course with a group of boys from local middle and high schools focused on exploring father-son relationships.

Please visit us online at www.boystomen.info.

The Margaret Hudson Program | Back to Top |
Tulsa, OK

The Margaret Hudson Program (MHP) was founded in 1968 in honor of Dr. Margaret Hudson, a strong advocate of helping teen mothers complete high school by providing medical care and social support needed to produce healthy babies and competent parents.

Since its inception over 40 years ago, MHP has been an innovative force in addressing the issues of teenage pregnancy. MHP is committed to educating pregnant and parenting teens and their families to be healthy, self-sufficient, contributing members of the community and to educate the community about the challenges of teen pregnancy and parenting. With campuses in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Broken Arrow Oklahoma, It is the only multi-disciplinary, all-encompassing organization servicing pregnant and parenting teens in the Tulsa metropolitan area.

MHP provides a comprehensive program consisting of Academic Services, Social Services, Counseling and Outreach, Women, Infant and Children Services, Child Development Centers, The Healthy Start Initiative, Student Mentoring Program, and the Pointers On Parenting Network Group for Teen Fathers and Grandparents of our babies.

Please visit us online at www.margarethudson.org.

Mayor's Office of Community Services Fatherhood Initiative | Back to Top |
Philadelphia, PA

The Fatherhood Initiative Program's mission is two-fold: (1) strengthening the relationship between fathers and their children, and (2) reversing the absentee fatherhood trend. Program participants attend a series of Fatherhood Training workshops, and each session is designed to address issues of parenting and character-formation. The goal is to instigate healthy parent-child relationships and break the cycle of dependency due to our culture of father absenteeism. The program's focus includes the following topics: promoting responsible fatherhood and holistic parenting; empowering fathers to assume emotional, moral, spiritual, psychological and financial responsibility for their children; accentuating the psychosocial development of fathers and their children; helping fathers understand the challenges of parenting; increasing fathers' skills in building and maintaining healthy relationships.

Please visit us online at www.phila.gov/mocs.fatherhood.html.

Men Engaged in Nonviolence, Inc. | Back to Top |
Taos, NM

Men Engaged in Nonviolence, Inc. (MEN) began in Taos, New Mexico in 2004 as a grassroots movement in response to domestic, youth and criminal violence in the Taos community - violence that was overwhelming perpetrated by males. A great need was identified to uplift the principle of males being able to value and practice nonviolence. Accordingly, men from the community were assembled through the tremendous efforts of MEN Founder, Vishu Magee, to participate in a media campaign, in-school mentoring, and teenage support groups which were all successfully piloted and ran for several years under the auspices of the local domestic violence shelter, until MEN incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2007 and since then has been able to vastly augment its services.

We have discovered that it is much more effective to promote and model nonviolence rather than to "fight" violence. Our mission therefore is to inspire, train and empower men and boys to lead lives of nonviolence. We focus on giving at-risk and high-risk boys what they greatly need in their lives, but do not have: a healthy male role model. This by the same token allows grown men the chance to connect with the youth of today, to become trained in the critical issues, and to be of service. We strive to work with the boys over the long-term so that they grow up to become a healthy, productive and nonviolent man, which in turn, means that they can be responsible fathers.

The MEN Fatherhood program is our newest program. It will teach parenting skills, provide one-on-one mentoring to young fathers, therapeutic groups for fathers of all ages, mental health counseling, legal guidance and career development. We believe that boys who grow to be nonviolent men lay the essential foundation to become good fathers. Teaching stress management, conflict resolution and nonviolent communication, helping fathers overcome alienation and anger, MEN empowers men and mobilizes fathers to leave behind physical and sexual violence by respecting themselves and connecting with their families, developing integrity, and pulling other men along with them in valuing the wellbeing of others in healthy communities.

Please visit us online at www.nonviolentmen.org.

Operation Life Corporation: Project Fatherhood | Back to Top |
Reseda, CA

Project Fatherhood is a nine month course addressing the detrimental affect of an absentee father in the life of a child. Project Fatherhood educates fathers on how to better care for and relate to their children. The primary goal is to teach the positive benefit of children growing up in a safe and healthy environment with their dad, resulting in the positive outcome of becoming productive adults. The meetings are held once a week; and the men are encouraged to bring their children to participate in the special programs we have specially designed for them to participate in while the fathers are attending their class. Significant others are also welcomed.

Project Fatherhood emphasizes healthy whole family units…supporting studies that have shown children without their fathers are five times more likely to be poor, two to three times more likely to use drugs and more than twice as likely to be incarcerated. All services provided to the fathers and their families are provided at no cost, regardless of the economic status, education, ethnic diversity, sexual orientation and/or custodial status of the fathers (including but not limited to stepfathers, foster/adoptive fathers, and grandfathers/ relatives, etc). All fathers are welcomed!

Please visit us online at www.operationlife.org.

Pregnancy Crisis Center of Wichita, Inc. | Back to Top |
Wichita, KS

Pregnancy Crisis Center of Wichita, Inc. (PCC) is a faith-based 501(c)(3) community organization, providing 25 years of service to the greater Wichita area. In 2008, PCC provided 10, 576 services to nearly 2,500 low-income or no income clients. All PCC services are given at NO COST to clients. 100% of PCC funding comes from donations and gifts from private individuals, churches, corporations, and grants. The mission of PCC is to serve individuals with the love of Christ empowering them to: choose life; practice sexual integrity; and experience physical, emotional, and spiritual wholeness. The majority of PCC clients are single, without a high school education or an opportunity to attend college. 75% of clients are women between the ages of 15-24. Clients do not carry private insurance, and 50% of clients are low income/no income minorities. In 2008 over 300 clients were males; new fathers or teen fathers seeking fatherhood services such as attending sonograms or classes.

Please visit us online at www.pccwichita.org.

PowerNet of Dayton | Back to Top |
Dayton, OH

"You Don't Have To Move To Live In A Better Neighborhood"

PowerNet of Dayton is a non-profit, 501(C)3, grass-roots, community-based organization established in June of 2002 to address the root causes of crime and poverty within the inner-city community. Since becoming incorporated in 2004, all of its efforts have been "to improve the overall safety and economic status of inner-city communities by utilizing the physical assets, economic opportunities, human resources and social capital inherent to those communities to facilitate the social, economic and political re-integration of citizens returning from incarceration." Although the primary goal of PowerNet is to restore and revitalize underserved, impoverished inner-city communities in Dayton Ohio, PowerNet chooses to primarily utilize the talents, skills and efforts of reentering citizens who are committed to "right living" and motivated to help restore Dayton's inner-city communities. This approach not only provides these individuals with a meaningful way to repair the harm they caused and to give back to the communities from which they have taken, but it also allows them an opportunity to develop a sense of pride, intrinsic value and positive identity within their community while, at the same time, supporting their own personal commitment to maintain a healthy, law-abiding lifestyle as a productive citizen in Montgomery County Ohio.

PowerNet has created the GEM Leadership Development Program (LDP) to facilitate the social, economic and political re-integration of individuals with felony records and their families. The GEM (Groups, Education and Mentoring) LDP begins 15 - 18 months prior to and continues up to three years after the inmate's release to offer: 1) case management; 2) mentoring for the inmates and their children; 3) cognitive-behavioral group intervention; 4) information and referral to faith based and community service providers throughout the State. The most unique aspect of this program is its strategy to build upon the intrinsic leadership skills of each inmate accepted into the program by empowering them to tailor the program to meeting their immediate needs while incarcerated and, upon release, connects them with the most appropriate community based opportunities for the continued expression and development of their individual strengths, and abilities. Working with and providing leadership training to fathers who are currently or formerly incarcerated has become an essential and invaluable component of core competencies. This has provided greater opportunity and likelihood for the re-unification of the family which is in the best interest of the children and the community.

Please visit us online at www.powernetofdayton.org.

Women's Health Center of Duluth, P.A. | Back to Top |
Duluth, MN

Women's Health Center of Duluth, P.A. (WHC), is the parent organization of Boyz II Dadz program. WHC was founded in 1983 as a tax exempt 501(c) 3 medical reproductive health care clinic provide services to low income individuals in Minnesota. It is governed by a seven member Medical Board of Directors, and a thirteen member Advisory Council.

WHC exists to provide medically safe, legal and affordable reproductive health care in a professional and empathetic setting. To assume such health services, WHC serves as an effective advocate for reproductive freedom and for accurate, honest and direct sexuality education. For 21 years WHC, has made it a priority to serve adolescent parents and at-risk youth with accurate sexuality and pregnancy prevention information. With each effort we enhance youth's capacity to take control of their reproductive health and delay pregnancies at a young age.

Through its program of direct services, public information, and community education, WHC meets its major long range goal of providing education and services in order to prevent unintended pregnancies for women and men of reproductive age, especially high risk minors and low-income populations.

Most of WHC sexuality and pregnancy prevention programs have targeted teen-aged youth. Boyz II Dadz operates to serve at risk young men up to age 25 and their families through education, referral, support and advocacy in fathering. The Boyz II Dadz program promotes the healthy development of young fathers, encourage their responsible involvement in children's lives, to strengthen the lives and families of young fathers, and delay further pregnancies.

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