Our mission

 

DadsFirst seeks to strengthen and equip fathers in their role as the servant leaders of their families. We teach fathers the skills that produce spiritually healthy families for the twenty‐first century. DadsFirst works in the:

  • urban core to reach “fragile families”with pre-schoolers

  • medical community to reach first ‐ time fathers

  • re-entry and recovery community to reach “broken fathers” in partnership with social services organizations. 

This ministry is firmly committed to teaching fathers that turning their hearts toward their children will result in the hearts of their children turning toward them. Their stories will contribute to our society and culture regaining its sense of family values.

We’re committed to helping men realize the power they possess as fathers and to help fathers expand and deepen their connection and relationship with their children and encourage them to be actively involved in their children’s lives.

DadsFirst builds stronger families by helping men become better husbands as well as fathers. Uninvolved fathers can damage their entire families. We provide programs and tools that will encourage uninvolved fathers to perform their role as a father and husband. 

We resist facing what’s not right in our lives, but as Richard Rohr said, “If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.”

 

Our three primary objectives are:

  1. To reconcile men to their fathers, and fathers to their sons and daughters

  2. To equip fathers with the skills and abilities to establish positive, fulfilling relationships with their children and wives

  3. To guide fathers to become servant leaders to their children, families and communities.

 

Corporate, Community, and Faith-based Programs: Identifying the need for all communities 

DadsFirst overarching conviction that shapes our belief: 

  • Responsible, involved fathers are critical to the financial, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well-being of our children throughout their lives. 

  • Engaged, committed dads bring strength and health to our families and communities. 

  • Responsible dads aren’t just nice to have around; they are profoundly valuable and nearly irreplaceable in a child’s life.

Mothers: DadsFirst acknowledges that the mother also plays a major role in strengthening healthy families. Our curriculum equips fathers and mothers to fulfill nurturing roles in the lives of their children and also enables single mothers to understand the critical importance of having a nurturing male role model in the life of their child. 

Far from encouraging fathers to take the place of mothers, or mothers of fathers, DadsFirst looks at the statistics and recognizes that fatherhood not only requires deep dedication to one’s children and family, but also the determination to postpone becoming a father until one is adequately prepared to accept the full responsibility of marriage and fatherhood.