April Newsletter – Investing In Fathers

A Fiscally Responsible Approach to Social Change

By Eli Williams and Bruce Stapleton

In an era of intense debate over government spending and budget priorities, one often-overlooked solution holds remarkable promise: strengthening fatherhood.

While partisan battles rage over social program funding, tax rates, and the proper role and size of government, fatherhood initiatives represent a rare opportunity for common ground—programs that simultaneously strengthen families and reduce taxpayer burden. Will strengthening fatherhood work? Yes, it will!

I (Eli) know firsthand what a difference good fathering makes. My father and mother came from fatherless homes. Yet, they raised thirteen children together on a common laborer’s pay. None of their nine sons spent time in prison. Not one of their four daughters became unwed mothers. We were never hungry, we never depended upon welfare, nor did we ever live in subsidized housing. We cost the government little, and each child is now a responsible, tax-paying member of society with a family of their own. The keys to that great return on investment were their faith, father-presence, and committed co-parenting.

The Hidden Costs of Father Absence

The statistics paint a sobering picture: 25% of American children—a

staggering 18.4 million—are growing up without their biological fathers. This absence isn’t just a family tragedy; it’s a massive economic drain on our public resources.

Father-absent homes cost American taxpayers nearly $100 billion annually in direct support payments. And that’s just the beginning. This figure doesn’t account for the long-term financial impacts:

• Higher incarceration rates: Children from fatherless homes are significantly more likely to enter the criminal justice system, costing taxpayers approximately $80,000 per inmate per year.
• Increased dependency on public assistance: Children in father-absent homes are four times more likely to live in poverty, requiring longer-term government support.
• Greater need for mental health services: The emotional toll of father absence often translates to increased utilization of publicly funded mental health resources.
• Remedial education costs: Schools must allocate additional resources to address the behavioral and educational challenges more common in children from father-absent homes.

These cascading costs create a cycle of expenditure that strains federal, state, and local budgets year after year.

Breaking the Cycle: How Fatherhood Programs Save Tax Dollars

Unlike many social interventions that require substantial ongoing government funding, fatherhood programs offer exceptional return on investment. For every dollar spent on effective father engagement initiatives, communities save multiple dollars in reduced public expenditures.

Consider these cost-saving outcomes:

• Reduced welfare dependency: When fathers are actively involved, family income typically rises, reducing reliance on TANF, SNAP, and other assistance programs.
• Lower juvenile justice costs: Communities with strong father presence experience demonstrably lower youth crime rates, saving millions in juvenile detention, court, and rehabilitation expenses.
• Improved educational outcomes: Father involvement correlates strongly with better academic performance, reducing the need for costly special education services and remedial programs.
• Decreased mental healthcare utilization: Children with involved fathers experience fewer behavioral and psychological problems, reducing the burden on publicly funded mental health systems.

The fiscal math is straightforward: investing in fathers now prevents much larger government expenditures later.

The Private Sector Advantage

What makes fatherhood initiatives particularly appealing from a budgetary perspective is that they don’t require massive new government bureaucracies or tax increases. Innovations like Fathering Strong® demonstrate how private-sector approaches can deliver sustainable community transformation through father engagement.

These programs leverage community connections, volunteer mentorship, and targeted education, thereby multiplying their impact without increasing government overhead. The model creates a social infrastructure that reduces dependency rather than managing it, addressing root causes instead of symptoms.

Beyond the Budget:

The Human Return on Investment

While the financial case for fatherhood programs is compelling, the human impact extends far beyond spreadsheets and budget lines. Children with involved fathers:

• Perform better academically
• Develop healthier relationships
• Show greater resilience and emotional regulation
• Experience higher levels of confidence and well-being

These outcomes represent not just savings but societal gains—stronger communities, more productive future workers, and healthier families for generations to come.

A Practical Path Forward

For taxpayers and policymakers concerned about fiscal responsibility, supporting fatherhood initiatives offers a pragmatic approach to addressing complex social challenges without expanding government or raising taxes.

Simple steps can make a difference:

• Support community-based fatherhood programs through private donations or corporate social responsibility initiatives
• Advocate for policies that remove barriers to father involvement
• Volunteer as mentors in communities with high rates of father absence
• Recognize businesses that implement father-friendly workplace policies

By investing in fathers, we invest in families. By investing in families, we build stronger communities. And by building stronger communities, we naturally reduce the need for government intervention and expenditure.

In today’s polarized climate, few solutions offer common ground. Fatherhood programs represent that rare opportunity—a fiscally responsible approach to meaningful social change that benefits everyone’s bottom line, from family budgets to county, state, and federal balance sheets.

The Innovative Initiatives of Fathering Strong®

Over the past five years, Urban Light Ministries has developed a suite of resources to support and strengthen fatherhood, locally and beyond. Components of the initiative include:

• The Fathering Strong Mobile App – Enables the formation of virtual fatherhood communities for connection, empowerment, and engagement through private groups, mentoring, and forums. We are working to provide the Fathering Strong app to other nonprofits, enabling them to better engage with the fathers they seek to serve.
• The Fathering Strong Podcast – Informative, inspiring, and encouraging father-focused weekly conversations with fathers and subject matter experts.
• The Fathering Strong Blog – Weekly posts on topics that provide practical wisdom and actionable strategies for the everyday challenges fathers face while raising children.
• FatheringStrong.com and UrbanLight.org – Robust online repositories of informative and inspiring podcasts, articles, videos, devotionals, fatherhood courses, and more.

With these tools, Fathering Strong is well-positioned to lead a faith-inspired fatherhood movement that has the potential to strengthen the institution of fatherhood, restore the Creator-established family order, and thereby begin rebuilding communities without overdependence on government funding. To do that, your support is needed.

How to Invest in Fathers Through Fathering Strong

• Give – Your generous contributions to Urban Light Ministries make it possible for fathers to receive the above resources free of charge. Every gift, large or small, is essential.
• Volunteer – Serve as event staff, a content contributor, a virtual group moderator, a mentor of dads, a provider of services, or in other ways.
• Pray – Include Urban Light Ministries, our team, and fathers in general in your prayers.
• Share – Spread the word about what God is doing through Urban Light Ministries. Encourage fathers you know to get engaged with Fathering Strong.

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10 Springfield ‘transplant heroes’ honored at annual Mayor’s Breakfast

Springfield News Sun | November 23, 2024
Image: Springfield Mayor Rob Rue gives the State of the City address during the second annual Mayor’s Breakfast at the Courtyard Marriott on Thursday. BILL LACKEY / STAFF

By Brooke Spurlock Staff Writer

Ten people who have relocated to Springfield and impacted the community were honored this week.

Urban Light Ministries hosted the second annual Mayor’s Breakfast on Thursday to honor “transplant heroes.”

“God is favoring our community with so many people who are bringing their gifts and their talents, and … putting down roots to help make Springfield a better place,” said Pastor Eli Williams, ULM president and CEO.

Mayor Rob Rue presented the State of the City address, talking about progress made over the past year.

“Over the past year, we’ve tackled some big challenges, we’ve celebrated some important wins and we’ve stayed focused on what matters most — our people,” he said. “… Of course, this year has not been without challenges and trials … but what I love about this community is how we respond when we’re under pressure.”

Rue said each person plays a role in the city’s story, and he thanked the community for investing in the city and being a part of “what makes (it) so special.”

“As we move into this next chapter, let’s hold tight to the idea that we are always stronger together. Whether it’s the small, everyday wins or the milestones we celebrate as a city,” he said. “Together we are building something incredible. Here’s to the work ahead as we continue to move forward together.”

Those who were honored included:

■ Jo Alice Blondin, Clark State College president since 2013. “Everybody here I think can say that Clark State has either touched your life or you had an opportunity to work with us. I’m also deeply grateful for the community of Springfield. This is my chosen hometown, and I absolutely love it here.”

■ David Estrop, former Springfield City Schools Superintendent. “I’m humbled by being recognized like this,” he said. “Some have said the best days of Springfield are behind us. Well, I submit to you that some are wrong.

And that in fact because of people like the people in this room, the best days in Springfield are yet to come.”

■ Miguelito Jerome, founder of New Diaspora Live, which broadcasts messages in Haitian Creole. “We feel like it’s definitely a mission now to keep moving forward,” he said. “And at the end to have a better and brighter community. That’s my dream, and I can see the future ahead because all of you, all of these efforts.”

■ Dr. Pius Kurian, a leading community nephrologist, a doctor who specializes in the care of kidneys.

“It has been a true blessing to be in Springfield. We have been here for 30-plus years, and I loved every minute of it,” he said.

■ John Landess, executive director of the Turner Foundation. “I’m very blessed in this job to get to work with a variety of people and try to make the community better,” he said. “It’s really what makes Springfield special is that we’re a big small town.

We have all the problems of a big major metro area but it’s small enough that we can all get together and work on those issues.”

■ Wally Martinson, the area director of central Ohio for Mission Increase and the former director of the Nehemiah Foundation before forming One Heart Ministries in 2011.

■William Hershel Miller, the interim president of the Gammon House, where he has served as a board member for more than nine years, and the co-chair of the annual Juneteenth Fatherfest celebration.

■Ted VanderRoest, the former executive director of the Springfield Foundation.

“It’s always a pleasure working with all the different organizations here in town. We got a lot done over the years. There’s been a lot done in Springfield, but you can see a lot of positive action over the last several years, and I know that is going to continue,” he said.

■ Ernest Calvin Brown Sr., a pastor who was ordained to the ministry in 1978 and has served at numerous churches and with many community organizations for the past 48 years.

■Marty Dennis, lead pastor at High Street Nazarene Church since 2015.

“Nine and a half years ago I was adopted by Springfield.

It’s been a relationship with lots of challenges and we’ve had to learn how to adapt together,” he said. “There’s so many changes, there’s no thought of long-term planning anymore because … sometimes there’s changes every single day. … If we as Springfield citizens can grab hold of that and develop a mindset and ‘heartset’ of saying, ‘We get to do this,’ … our city is going to be a better place.”

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