Since its founding in 1993, the Fathers and Families Center has been making a lasting impact on the community by equipping fathers and empowering families to ensure children thrive. Larry Smith, CEO and president, highlighted the organization’s efforts, which include the Strong Fathers Program, a transformative three-week, 90-hour initiative designed to help men rebuild their lives and create opportunities for their families.

“A lot of the men who come to us have realized their original plan didn’t work, and we help them reframe and reshape their lives,” Smith explained. The program primarily serves low-income individuals, with 40% to 70% of participants being returning citizens. The center’s recidivism rate is an impressive 5%, far below Indiana’s overall rate of 40% to 45%.

The center’s graduates are connected to about 50 employer partners for job placement, receive certifications in skilled trades, or even start their own businesses. Participants are not charged for the program and receive a stipend for attending, underscoring the center’s commitment to providing not just a handout, but a hand up.

Local businesses and organizations, including IU Health, Foster Success, and Indigo, play a critical role in supporting these efforts. “Most people who go into incarceration are coming back home,” Smith noted. “The question is, are we going to help them become productive citizens?”

The center also relies on individual donors to maintain its programs. “This could have been me or someone in my family,” Smith said, encouraging people to contribute to the mission.

For those interested in supporting the Fathers and Families Center, information on donations and involvement can be found at FathersAndFamiliesCenter.org. Smith emphasized the importance of community support, saying, “It’s not just about changing individual lives, but about changing the entire community.”

SPONSORED BY FATHERS & FAMILIES CENTER.