As part of Florida’s fatherhood initiative, Governor Ron DeSantis announced Friday the creation of the Father First website and a statewide community network.
To promote responsible and involved fatherhood in Florida, the Father First initiative offers one-on-one support, mentorship programs, and educational materials.
Governor Ron DeSantis stated, “As a father of three, I am proud of our state for supporting measures that highlight the importance of fatherhood and the nuclear family.”
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“Florida’s Father First initiative will support families and make sure that more children in our state have a father figure present in their lives, especially in light of the national fatherhood crisis. Fathers must recognize the significant influence they have on their children’s lives,” said DeSantis.
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) has created a network of thirty community organizations to offer services that enable fathers to accept their special roles in their children’s lives as part of this initiative.
Father First provides the tools, support, and community that dads and soon-to-be dads need to be better every day. Go online to www.fatherfirstfl.com for more details about the program. The Florida Legislature appropriated over $68.9 million to support responsible fatherhood through historic legislation signed in 2022.
DCF Secretary Shevaun Harris said, “We are so grateful for the Governor’s leadership in the launch of Father First, a program that will strengthen families through responsible parenting. We are aware of the indisputable advantages of fathers being involved in their children’s lives, and with the support of our partners across the state, fathers will have access to specialized resources to enable them to be the fathers their kids deserve.”
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The DeSantis administration is still committed to helping families, fostering resilience, and motivating fathers to put their families first.
“The fatherlessness crisis threatens our nation,” said former Florida Speaker of the House Chris Sprowls. “The research definitively shows that the absence of a committed and loving father dramatically impairs a child’s chance of succeeding in life. Today Florida is saying that fathers matter, and we are making unprecedented investments in dads and male mentors. I’m incredibly proud that our state has become the national leader in this vital fight for our children’s future.”
“We are excited and proud to officially launch Florida’s Responsible Fatherhood Initiative,” said Mark Merrill, President and CEO of Family First. “For over 30 years we have been strengthening families and helping fathers, specifically through the All Pro Dad program, so we know how important a role a father can serve in the lives of his children. Today marks the beginning of what we believe will have a lasting statewide impact for generations to come.”
Three grant opportunities were created to promote fatherhood and mentoring in the state by funding community-based nonprofits that work to address the comprehensive needs of fathers, provide evidence-based education programs to fathers and provide mentorship programs for at-risk male students.
The first-round awards were posted on July 28, 2023. Additional rounds of grant applications are expected to open in the fall of 2023. More information on the fatherhood grants can be found on the Father First website.
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