blACk FATHERS - Fathers Incorporated

FATHERS INCORPORATED
2014
Fathers Incorporated (FI) is
an internationally focused
non-profit organization
working to build stronger
families and communities
through the promotion of
Responsible Fatherhood.
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FI has a unique seat at the national table, working
with leaders in the White House, Congress, federal
and local government agencies, grassroots
organizations, faith-based institutions and
business.
In addition, our international efforts over the years
with partners like the Global Peace Foundation,
Leap for Ghana; United Nations, W. Haywood Burns
Environmental Education Center and CIDES –
International Center for Sustainable Development
(Panama) has allowed FI to form relevant narratives
regarding family development. Mongolia, Malaysia,
Ghana and Panama are our foundational countries
that will lead FI into its broader international body of
work regarding fatherhood and healthy manhood.
Presence & Impact
Established in 2004, FI serves as a leader in the field
of Responsible Fatherhood. The agency’s international,
national, and local mission focuses on remediating
the impact of father absence. This is accomplished
using innovative social marketing and multi-media
platforms, traditional communications, events and
capacity building and product development.
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Community & Family Focus
Strong communities grow from healthy family relationships. This focus ensures that
fathers, particularly noncustodial fathers facing limited employment opportunities
and increasing debt, receive the supports they need to provide for the well-being of
their children – both emotionally and financially.
Our progress change model simply means: If we can change how a person feels,
we can change how he thinks. If we change how he thinks, we can encourage what
he does. We believe that this model helps foster strong community structures and
promotes the inter-related needs of mother, father, and child.
What You Do
(Behavior / Actions)
What You Think
(Processes / Logic)
What You Feel
(Emotions / Empathy / Morals / Beliefs /
Culture / Mental Health)
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Progress takes
place in this
direction
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SUPPORTERS
Fathers Incorporated is supported by private
donations, contracts and generous grants
from organizations and agencies including the
Open Society Foundations’ Campaign for Black
Male Achievement, Mentoring USA and the U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services.
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Expertise & Action
FI brings its expertise to work in the field, serving as
a resource for policy makers, government officials,
state and local organizations, service providers, and
mothers and fathers. By creating needed products
and resources, making informed recommendations,
and using innovative media, FI helps fathers and
children connect, raises awareness of the need for
positive father involvement, and educates men and
women about the importance of healthy father-child
relationships. FI’s goal: to help make positive changes
that impacts the lives of children.
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MEDIA FOOTPRINT
As of December 2013, FI has surpassed all of its social media goals:
251,535
BlogTalkRadio
Lifetime Listens
26,922
25,317
3,345
YouTube
Lifetime views
National Responsible
Fatherhood
Clearinghouse
Facebook Likes
Listserv
1,753
1,500
458,878
1,205
Facebook Likes
Twitter
Followers
LinkedIn
Network
LinkedIn
Connections
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Fathers Incorporated Website Stats
Years
2013
Unique Visitors
47,228
2012
2011
Number of Visits
89,339
2010
2009
Page Hits
187,204
Website Link Hits
1,071,094
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FATHERS INCORPORATED IN
MEDIA VENUeS
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Our Children
Our Future
FI works actively and
diligently to involve fathers
in the lives of their children
through a variety of programs,
activities, training, technical
assistance, and cause
marketing media campaigns.
Research shows that children
with involved, loving fathers are
significantly more likely to do well in
school, have healthy self-esteem,
and exhibit positive social behaviors
compared to children with uninvolved
fathers. In addition, committed,
responsible fathering during childhood
has been shown to contribute to
children’s math and verbal skills,
curiosity, and emotional security.
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Agency Training Services
Organizational Capacity Building
Parental Involvement Staff Training
Fatherhood Ministry Development
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Organizational Assessment of Fatherhood
Readiness and Friendliness
Social Marketing and Communication
Development
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Fatherhood Campaigns
Ties Never Broken
Domestic Violence Initiative
“Ties Never Broken,” is a cause
marketing campaign that
addresses fatherlessness and
mentoring. The phrase speaks
to the all too real connection
between children and their
need for biological fathers
and positive male role models.
Estranged, deployed, deceased,
or otherwise, there is a tie, or
connection, that is never broken
between parents and their
children; including that of too
often undervalued fathers. The
symbol of a bow tie expresses
this reality, especially since a
tie is such an intimate ritual
between a father and son, and
men in general.
A coordinated effort to end
domestic violence has the
potential to significantly impact
the health, safety and wellbeing of ALL family members.
FI’s work around family violence
acknowledges;
1) violence is a learned behavior
that can be unlearned;
2) many fathers can be a
positive influence in their
children’s lives--even after
violence; and
3) while statistics show that
the majority of perpetrators
of violence are men, not all
men are violent, and there are
rising numbers of men who
are victims of domestic and
community violence. We are
concerned with ALL types of
Violence.
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Code Blue: Faith, Family and
Fatherhood
CODE BLUE is a call for
community healing. This effort
addresses mental health in
low-income communities, with
a specific emphasis on fathers.
We seek to begin community
dialogs that bring together
men, women, youth, faithbased institutions, resources,
and services related to various
aspects mental health.
weMentor!
weMentor!’s mission is to
address the low number of
African-American men serving
as mentors. The campaign
seeks to raise public awareness,
increase recruitment capacity,
and build national mentoring
networks.
Fatherhood Campaigns (Continued)
Black Rose MediaWorks
International Fatherhood Alliance (INA)
National Responsible Fatherhood
Clearinghouse
Black Rose MediaWorks is the creative
development department charged with
the creation of visual products; such as
documentaries; web episodes, films and
video shorts aimed at an alterative way of
showcasing and articulating responsible
fatherhood.
This International initiative is assessing
the impact of fatherlessness through a
broad network of agencies, organizations,
governments and faith based institutions.
The INA will maintain a repository of global
fatherhood research and resources and
provide capacity building for international
organizations and governments
implementing or seeking to engage in
a responsible fatherhood initiative. In
addition, the INA will broadly promote and
educate the public on the importance of
strengthening families through healthy and
responsible fathers.
FI won the contract for management of
the National Responsible Fatherhood
Clearinghouse (NRFC) in 2011. The NFRC is
funded by the Administration for Children
and Families’ Office of Family Assistance
(OFA). It is a nationwide effort to assist
States and communities in promoting and
supporting responsible fatherhood. With
a dual purpose of developing outreach
efforts to fatherhood practitioners and
dads, through the management of the
NRFC, FI provides access to print and
electronic publications, timely information
on fatherhood issues, and targeted
resources that support the Fatherhood
field. The NRFC website also provides
essential information for other audiences
interested in fatherhood issues.
Provides technical assistance and
oversight to President Obama’s
Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative.
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Products
Spit’in Anger Documentary
Spit’in Anger is the exploration into the uncharted
space of fatherlessness. Through the story of one
of America’s premier leaders in the responsible
fatherhood movement--Kenneth Braswell--we
learn that the filmmaker and healer is about to
receive a lesson in healing himself. Experts Dr. Jeff
Gardere, Iyanla Vanzant, Judge Mablean Ephriam,
and Terrie Williams lay the foundation for one of
most devastating social ills for black children in
America--father absence. Today, 82.3% of African
American children born since 1990, will live in a
home without their biological fathers before their
18th birthday.
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Spit’in Anger Guided Workbook
When the Tear Won’t Fall
Men and fathers who face and confront their hurt,
pain, and anger toward their own fathers by facing
their pasts are on a brave journey that not many
men or women take. The workbook is not intended to
“cure” the emotional wounds left by father absence;
it is one of many tools however, that can support the
process. The workbook and the exercises suggested
in it can be used alone or in a group setting. The
workbook highlights provides opportunities and
recommendations for working with peers, clergy, and
counseling professionals, recognizing that everyone
needs the wisdom and insights of others—this
accelerates the healing process and keeps us honest
and accountable for our own behaviors.
Most recently the words of “fatherhood” have been
echoed from the seat of the presidency to the
struggling homes of children who find themselves
being raised in today’s society without the influence
of a positive, contributing and responsible father.
“When The Tear Won’t Fall,” One Man’s Journey through
the Intimate Struggles of Manhood and Fatherhood
takes its readers along the continuum of being raised
fatherless. Today over 24 million children woke up
without their biological fathers in the home, and most
of them will live out the rest of their lives spending very
little time with them, or never knowing them at all.
Gentle Warrior Workbook
Moynihan Revisited Report
“Gentle Warriors” A Mentorship Guide for Young Males
and Men was adapted from When The Tear Won’t Fall.
The guide is an introspective and easy to use workbook
designed to specifically help young males sort through
the myriad of emotions, which result from not having
a positive male role model in their lives. These shared
experiences mirror that of many young men growing
up in loving single mother households, yet they lack
the support of a loving, dedicated father to help them
down the pathway of manhood.
The Moynihan Report Revisited gauges how the
circumstances of black families have changed over the
past five decades and how they compare with other
racial and ethnic groups. It documents how Blacks still
suffer from intersecting disadvantages that Moynihan
referred to as a “tangle of pathologies,” with each
negative factor reinforcing the others. It concludes
with suggestions for improving the circumstances of
Black families and reducing racial disparities.
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dads do make a difference
Children with fathers involved
in their lives are five times less
likely to be poor.
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Children with involved fathers
are twice as likely to stay in
school.
Children who spend quality time
with their fathers are less likely
to be violent or aggressive, have
higher self-esteem, and better
self-control.
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Director and Board Members
Kenneth Braswell
Executive Director
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Board Members
Ron Williams – President
Edward Lawson – Vice-President
Tracy Braswell - Secretary/Acting Treasurer
Treasurer - Vacant
John Harris
Dr. Janice Kelly
Gary Eley
Rev. Darren Ferguson
Lola Brabham-Harder
David Goldberg
Diana Ritter
Larry Ritter
Andre Turman
2 Board Members (vacant)
Fathers Incorporated Links
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/FathersIncorporated
Moynihan Revisted
http://moynihanrevisited.com
Facebook Ties Never Broken
https://www.facebook.com/TiesNeverBroken
Fathers Incorporated YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/kennethbraswell
Facebook Kenneth Braswell Page
https://www.facebook.com/MrKennethBraswell
Blogtalkradio Page
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/tiesneverbroken
FI Twitter
https://twitter.com/Fathersincorp
Mobile App
http://fathersincorporated.mobapp.at
Spit’in Anger Official Page
http://www.spitinanger.com
Reconnecting Dads Blog
http://reconnectingdad.blogspot.com
Spit’in Anger Blog Page
http://spitinanger.tumblr.com
National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse
http://www.fatherhood.gov
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2013 Partners
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Black Psychiatrists of Greater New York
Brathwaite Studios
ChildFind of America
Empire Christian Center
Fatherhood CoMission
Global Peace Foundation
ICF International
JM Creative
K.I.N.G.
Leap For Ghana
Mentoring USA
National Black Child Development
(Albany)
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National Fatherhood Leaders Group
Open Society Foundations
PHI BETA SIGMA Inc. (Beta Psi Sigma
Chapter)
Purple REIGN
Urban Leadership Institute
Sesame Workshop
Strategic Destiny, LLC
Tavis Smiley Network
The Book Club
INFOGRAPHIC - BLACK FATHERS
45%
60%
70%
97%
of all dads agree that the day that their child
was born was one of the best days of their lives
70% of black dads said they bathed,
diapered or dressed their children every
day, compared with 60% of white fathers and
45% of Latino fathers
Among American
fathers living apart
from their children,
black dads were at
least as involved as
other dads not living
with their kids, or
more so, according to
most measures.
Black
Latino
White
Nearly 35% of black fathers who lived with their
young children said they read to them
daily, compared with 30% of white dads and
22% of Latino dads.
The emotional, spiritual and
physical tie between fathers and
their children are never broken.
50%
42%
41%
Nearly half of black fathers living apart from
their young children said they played with
them at least several times a week, 42% said
they fed or ate with them that frequently,
and 41% said they bathed, diapered or
helped dress them as often
Black fathers were more likely
than white or Latino dads to stay
close to their children after having
more kids with a new partner
86%
of dads say they spend more time with their
children than their fathers did with them
We know there is still much work to be done
building the capacity of all fathers--particularly
fathers facing challenges related to employment,
incarceration, housing, mental health issues, and
child support debt management, we are
encouraged by this new research that shows
Black fathers continue to demonstrate their
desire to be actively and positively involved in the
lives of their children, regardless of their marital
or residential status, and in the face of negative
media portrayals and myths about their
parenting behaviors.
Adapted from the following Sources:
Fathers' Involvement with Their Children: United States, 2006-2010; National Health Statistics Reports
Father Involvement PR Study Results; Ad Council and National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse; May 2012
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Contact Us
Twitter
Address
Phone
Fathers Incorporated
307A Consaul Road
Albany, New York 12205
(518) 713-4755
@fathersincorp
Email
Facebook
fathersincorporated@gmail.com
FathersIncorporated
Website
www.fathersincorporated.com
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