About Us
Fathers Incorporated is the nation’s premier organization in promoting and marketing Responsible Fatherhood and Mentoring. Its 5-year mission is to change the societal and cultural paradigm of families. These designed and intentional messages will strengthen families by encouraging the responsible, active and positive involvement of both parents to include mothers and fathers.
It has been documented that nearly 70% of all job loss in recent economic downturn have occurred to men; many of them also fathers. It is not lost that men of color, particularly in urban communities are continually hit the hardest in turbulent times. Research shows that more often than not, when a father is not working; his children are in poverty. It also shows that when a man is unemployed all of his problems become more extreme. Thus, the need to elevate this notion of responsible fatherhood has never been more important. Over the last several months we have been a part of several dialogues regarding responsible fatherhood.
In 2011 Fathers Incorporated inspired by President Obama’s 2010 Fathers Day address joins with the White House, Honorary Board, partners and sponsors to proclaim 2011; The Year of Responsible Men (YORM). This high level recognition will assist in targeting the need to encourage and support responsible fatherhood and mentoring.
What does Fatherhood Marketing look like?
The cause marketing model is well established and it is not our intention to re-invent it for Fatherhood. Rather we intend to re-purpose it for the audience and the cause. By way of example, consider the hugely successful and inspirational Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure program as a model.
There are tremendous parallels at the outset:
- Just as we all know someone with breast cancer – or someone who could get breast cancer – we all know fathers – and fathers who may need help.
- The entire effort was begun by a small nonprofit; The Susan G. Komen Foundation. This time it is Fathers Incorporated at the forefront.
- Any brand hoping to market its products to women can find a way to get behind the cause. We hope to provide that same answer for companies marketing to males.
Board Members Ron Williams and John Harris at Annual Heritage Awards Dinner
Today, Major League Baseball has a program where its players use pink bats and gloves on Mother’s Day to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. Even the NFL has found a way to support the effort. Imagine a more targeted Father’s Day program where an entire section of seats is kept unoccupied in each stadium to symbolize absentee fathers.
As we continue to explore new programmatic strategies and academic theories of approach, it is sometimes the simplest things in life that allow you to command and hold the attention of someone in need. This truth has never been as evident as it is now; with President Obama raising the profile of the importance of a father (male) involvement.
Across the nation, in fact, across the globe we have seen a growth in service providers taking on the task to address the issue of fatherlessness and its critical impact on the well being of your children and communities. In addition to this growth; the field of work has struggled with identifying adequate resources to conduct the work necessary to provide low-income fathers the services to equip them in making a positive impact on the environments of their children both financially and emotionally. Recently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that one in five working-age American men does not have a job, an all-time high that illustrates the extraordinary toll this recession has taken on male-dominated professions in particular. Amongst other ills, unemployment and lower child support collections and have surfaced as a byproduct of the recession for non-custodial fathers; while placing undue stress on fathers and increasing the burdens of their associated mothers and children. We believe determination should not come without, assistance; and hard work should not come without reward and recognition.