National Fatherhood Initiative ::: Father Facts: Forward

Father Facts: Forward
by Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., and Tom Sylvester

Forward by Roland C. Warren, President, National Fatherhood Initiative

In 1994, the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) set out to start a social movement, one that would rebuild the institution of fatherhood in America. This social movement would commit to a clear and measurable goal: to significantly increase the number of children growing up with an involved, responsible and committed father.

Ultimately, the responsible fatherhood movement was born out of a commitment to improving the well-being of America's children. Research and data, like the information compiled in Father Facts, shows quite clearly that to improve the well-being of America's children, we must restore responsible fatherhood as a societal norm in our communities.

Every successful social movement, from the American Revolution to the civil rights movement, has required that 1) public opinion reach a critical mass and demand change and that 2) an infrastructure be built that could effect change in communities across America. Since its inception, NFI has been committed to pursuing both objectives.

Building a National Consensus

When NFI first started its work, the notion that children needed fathers and that children, on average, do better when raised by both mom and dad was quite controversial. Achieving success required challenging the widely held viewpoint that fathers were nice to have around, but hardly necessary. To change public opinion, NFI launched a public education campaign with multiple components.

Media outreach: NFI has been quoted, cited, or appeared in literally thousands of print and broadcast reports about the important and unique role of fathers. Our aggressive outreach effort has made the National Fatherhood Initiative an invaluable resource for journalists and policymakers who seek the most up-to-date and authoritative information about fathers and their role in improving child well-being.

Public Service Advertising: Partnering with the Advertising Council, NFI has created one of the most successful public service advertising campaigns of the past decade. Our print, radio, television and internet spots promote the compelling message that "It takes a man to be a dad." To date, our ads have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in donated advertising time and such well-known spokesmen as James Earl Jones, Tom Selleck, Tiger Woods, and Tim McGraw have lent their talents to this campaign.

National Fatherhood Summits: Building upon the success of the first-ever national summit on fatherhood held in 1994, NFI now convenes national fatherhood summits annually. These events allow the fatherhood movement to focus on specific challenges, from working with urban fathers to exploring the latest research. Every year, more than 500 community and religious leaders, practitioners, social service workers, and policymakers from across the country attended these important summits. Restoring responsible fatherhood is now a national priority. In fact, to highlight its importance, President George W. Bush delivered the keynote address at the 2001 National Summit on Fatherhood.

While these efforts must continue, NFI has made tremendous progress in changing public opinion about the importance of and the need for fathers. In fact, a 1999 Gallup Organization poll reported that 72% of those polled in a national survey agreed that "the physical absence of the father from the home is the most significant problem facing America."

Creating an Infrastructure for Change

At NFI, we are not satisfied to just change public opinion--we want more kids growing up with involved, committed, and responsible fathers in their lives. Achieving behavioral change will require more than talk. Accordingly, NFI has launched effective strategies to mobilize all sectors of society.

Joining with the nation's leaders: NFI helped create and is a partner with the Congressional, Senate, Governors', and Mayors' Task Forces on Fatherhood Promotion.

At the state level: NFI has pioneered statewide partnerships to combat father absence. Starting with the Virginia Fatherhood Campaign, NFI has been extremely effective in mobilizing states to commit to this important work. NFI has now implemented statewide fatherhood initiatives in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Indiana and is currently working with other states to launch similar initiatives.

At the local level: NFI works with communities across the country, helping them assess the impact of fatherlessness in their communities and helping them develop strategies to promote responsible fatherhood. Last year, NFI launched the Greater Pittsburgh Fatherhood Initiative, which currently provides resources and technical assistance to over 2200 community based fatherhood programs. In addition, NFI has developed numerous tools to help communities and individuals in this effort, including Confronting Father Absence: A Guide to Renewing Fatherhood in Your Community. Finally, NFI has made its high quality public service advertising materials, including television and radio spots, available for use by local communities.

Indeed, much of our current focus is on taking the fatherhood movement to that next step, mobilizing communities at the grassroots level to bring fathers back to their children. NFI has made a multi-year commitment to this task, including:

Launching the NFI affiliate program in 2001, allowing community-based organizations that share our commitment to responsible fatherhood to partner with NFI.
Providing technical assistance and training to local communities, including NFI training programs such as our Agency Audit on Father-Inclusive Practices, Social Marketing for Fatherhood Programs and Outcome-based Evaluation of Fatherhood Programs.
Developing curricula for specific community-based fatherhood programs, such as NFI's Long Distance Dads Program and Curriculum for incarcerated fathers and the Doctor Dad Child Healthcare and Safety Workshop for Fathers.

Finally, recognizing that the fatherhood movement will not succeed without providing assistance to individual fathers, NFI operates a National Clearinghouse and Resource Center to ensure that there is a place where fathers can find an array of brochures, videos, and books that can help them become better fathers.

Clearly, the National Fatherhood Initiative and the fatherhood movement are on the move. Much has been accomplished over the last few years, yet there is much work to be done on behalf of America's children. As you review the data and information in Father Facts, I want to challenge you to consider how you might get involved in this important endeavor.