Community Fatherhood Initiative
The goal of the Community Fatherhood Initiative (CFI) is to bring together organizations, government entities, professionals, law enforcement, legislators and community advocates that have a vested interest in improving the lives of children, families and communities through positive fatherhood involvement and youth mentorship. CFI works to create a unified voice across the nation to ensure that state agencies and departments include services for fathers and young men as a part of their efforts and that organizations throughout California will develop services that are built to serve fathers from the ground up.
To advance this goal, NCN is building a strong network of organizations that will: (a) identify existing policy gaps preventing the development of effective fatherhood and male involvement programs, and (b) develop positive fatherhood and male involvement policies and programs that build on the strengths of fathers and other male mentors.
The Community Fatherhood Initiative will draw strength from the diversity of the nation’s population to make sure that the initiative’s efforts include the needs of fathers and young men from all segments of the nation’s diverse population. Finally, CFI will call out to all men–be it fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers and other males–to take a “Men Taking Responsibility” pledge committing themselves to be responsible in their own lives and in the lives of their children, families and community.
The Community Fatherhood Initiative has been working in collaboration with President Barack Obama’s effort to help men better understand the positive role they play in adding protective factors to their children lives that will help build strength and resilience that will help children achieve their goals and dreams.
About President Obama’s Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative
The White House Initiative on Fatherhood & Mentoring recognizes that engaged and involved fathers have an incredibly positive effect on the lives of their children. The Initiative is a national call to action to address fatherlessness in America and includes the following steps:
- The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and the Office of Public Engagement will host
community forums on fatherhood and personal responsibility around the country, in concert with local groups.
- Organizations and individuals who sign up for the Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative will receive e-newsletters featuring articles, tips and resources from prominent leaders in the fatherhood and family fields and information about model programs.
Organizations supporting the Initiative will work to have an impact on responsible fatherhood, from local forums with the National Parent Teachers Association to community trainings by the National Fatherhood Leaders Group (NFLG). Partners from the National PTA to the head of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities have signed up to advance the President’s Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative in communities around the country.
Take the Fatherhood Pledge
NCN calls all men–be it fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers and other males–to take a “Men Taking Responsibility” pledge committing themselves to be positive examples of responsible men in their own life, their children’s lives, their families’ life, and in the life of their community as well. By signing this pledge, each man commits to work each day to build or maintain myself as a man who understands the honor of being a FATHER and Man of Responsibility.
Take the Youth Pledge
As a young person and member of a family and community, every young person contributes to their community’s health, happiness, and future. The decisions and actions they make today can make a positive difference and improve the community for the next generation. By signing this pledge, each man commits to work each day to build or maintain myself as a man who understands the honor of being a PERSON of Responsibility.
