18.3 million children

don’t have a father in the home

The fatherlessness crisis is a generational issue. Kids who grow up without a father struggle to know how to father their own children. You cannot give what you don’t have.

Fatherless children are at high risk for negative outcomes

The severe lack of fatherhood support services reveals the missing lifeline vital in healing this generational wound.

90% of homeless and runaway children

come from fatherless homes

85% of youth in prison

come from fatherless homes

85% of all children who show behavior disorders

come from fatherless homes

75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes

come from fatherless homes

71% of all high school dropouts

come from fatherless homes

63% of youth suicides

come from fatherless homes

Growing up without a father is a key indicator for negative outcomes in youth. Wichita’s children are at a greater risk than other communities: 38% of children in Wichita live in a single parent home, 15% higher than the national average of 23%.

The usual response to this crisis is youth mentorship programs. However, the issue of fatherlessness must be addressed at the father level to have long-term effects.

Support fatherhood

Evidence-backed systems of support

500 fathers reached in one year.

From July 2024 to July 2025, we partnered with Stand Together to launch the Fatherhood Empowerment Initiative. FEI is an expansion of the work we’ve done since 2008, but it focuses on the most marginalized and at-risk fathers in Wichita.

Our goal was to enroll 40 fathers and work with them in two separate cohorts. We wanted to connect as many of these men with the resources they needed as possible.

Throughout the year, we:

Enrolled 43 fathers in FEI

Led 39 fathers to program completion - a rate of 90.7%

Equipped 35 fathers with essential household goods and basic supplies

Referred 31 fathers to receive mental health support

Guided fathers to job opportunities, with 27 gaining employment

Provided 22 fathers with housing support

Assisted 21 fathers with court-related issues to reconnect with their children

Encouraged fathers to pursue education, certifications, and career development, with 14 fathers striving to achieve their goals

Coached fathers through effective co-parenting and understanding the legal system, allowing 13 fathers to reunite with their children and 9 others to increase their parenting time

Beyond our two cohorts, we continued to promote the fatherhood initiative. We worked individually with fathers and organized events to connect men in the community. 

When fathers receive the right support and find their purpose, they have the power to heal adversity in their household. A father’s successes create greater opportunities for success for their children.

3 churches and the Kansas Department of Corrections agreed to implement the curriculum in late 2025

60 additional fathers received mentorship, outreach, and peer advocacy

500+ fathers were engaged through community events, conferences, and outreach

Real people, real stories

Dereck

Two years ago, a young father named Dereck joined our program, angry in his marriage. When we looked at him, we saw someone who lacked hope that his situation could improve.

Brother Dennis personally mentored this father and remained a steady presence for him. Even when Dereck didn’t have a place to sleep at night, he kept showing up to get help. He knew he needed change, and his work with us stirred something in him.

Today, Dereck is a happier and brighter person. He’s present in his foster kids’ lives and started working at their school. He proposed a horticulture program called “Let Us Grow Together.”

Showing up and persevering, even when the world seemed to be falling apart around him, gave Dereck the chance to grow beyond his anger and be a better father.

Louis

Imagine seeing your kids only once every two weeks. Now imagine having an additional barrier between you and your kids – a one-way five hour drive.

We had a father going through this exact situation. Louis was battling for custody of his kids, and he lived five hours away from Wichita. Despite this, he made the drive every two weeks to see his kids.

Louis eventually decided to move to Wichita to be closer to his kids. After the move, he joined Dads Care Two. Although he’s still in a custody battle, he’s on steadier ground now.

Where he previously needed a place to stay, Louis now has his own home. He volunteers at church, and he has a stable job. Despite the challenges he faced keeping him from his kids, he’s continued pushing forward to be a better father for them.

In the face of obstacles, Louis kept fighting for the chance to see his kids because being a father to them mattered. He challenged himself to change, and he succeeded.

Matt

10 years ago, Matt was released from prison, hopeful to see his kids again. However, he first needed to prove to the court that he was safe to be around them – something most fathers don’t get help with.

Matt came to Dads Care Two for help navigating the legal system and getting back on his feet. He worked through our program, started going back to school, and got a job working as a peer-to-peer mentor.

He worked with inmates and people in transition facilities, sharing the lessons he learned from his time with Dads Care Two. Matt helped men in positions like his learn how to get back on their feet after prison and be fathers to the children they were estranged from. He led Bible study sessions every week, leading people through the word of God.

Matt now has a position in a nonprofit organization, gives back to the community, and is a present part of his kids’ lives. He’s even spoken at conferences that we’ve been part of.

Incarceration was not the end for Matt. With the right support, he broke out of a system that often separates fathers and their children.

Our Referral Partners

Your belief in fatherhood matters

Support fatherhood

Our culture is shifting back toward understanding the importance of the father, but there’s still a long way to go.

As we continue expanding our efforts to help more fathers, our goal is to change the way people understand the father’s role in the family. Our fathers have already transformed their approach to fatherhood, healing old wounds and starting their kids on the right path.

You have the power to join the movement and raise up fathers. Join us to reach more fathers and transform the lives of their families.