In 2022, I was on yet another Zoom call, like so many of us over the past few years. This one was different. This call introduced me to two exceptional individuals I now call friends, Dara Griffin, and Kevin Bremond.
On that call, Kevin discussed their work with their fatherhood-focused group in California. As he shared, I was intrigued. He asked about the demographic of families that COTS serves, and I shared that most of the families coming through COTS’ doors were women with children and that we rarely engaged with the fathers connected to these families. Kevin then reminded me of a critical perspective: whether fathers were physically present, they are important figures in their children’s lives.
I’ve heard Dara mention that she has never heard a man express pride in not being with his family. The father’s absence may result from many possible circumstances but seldom is absence the first, most desired choice.
Through this insight and realization, COTS looked deeper into our obligation to ensure that fathers associated with COTS and fathers within the community know that their presence and impact are vital to their children’s lives. We immediately understood that we had work to do in redefining our narrative around fatherhood and our approach to a “whole family” system of care.
Gerald Edwards – COTS Director of Hospitality Services, leads the development of the COTS Fatherhood Initiative. This initiative supports and collaborates with fathers to reduce barriers to father-friendly engagement. As part of COTS’ intentional shift in supporting fathers, COTS offers father-centered experiences, such as “Dad-scussions,” every fourth Tuesday. This experience provides a space where fathers can share their parenting joys and even express their frustrations to receive encouragement and advice from other fathers who may have similar experiences. Dad-scussions help everyone involved to lean into an accurate narrative of fatherhood.
We at COTS are even more conscious and intentional in ensuring that fathers feel safe and represented in the spaces we occupy and make available to families. As we engage with families in the community to support the creation of opportunities to support family stability, we will ensure that the fathers’ voices are at the table and that they are heard and represented well.
COTS is a learning organization dedicated to educating ourselves and applying the knowledge to our service approach. Through this learning and the support of our partners and friends, we will continue to create opportunities for families to succeed holistically.
We invite you join our Dad-scussions and witness the development of this innovative initiative. You can register for the next Dad-scussion at: cotsdetroit.org/fatherhood.
With an ocean of gratitude,
Cheryl P. Johnson, CEO, COTS
Everyone plays a part in the success of children in our communities. Consider partnering with COTS as we partner with families on their journey to stability and self-sufficiency. Visit us at cotsdetroit.org to learn more or to make a gift today. Together, we can help break the poverty cycle for families and “Create Opportunities To Succeed!”
You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as @cotsdetroit. And, please subscribe to our podcast, COTS: The Art of Family on Apple or Google Podcasts, on Spotify or wherever you download your podcast content.
We know that there are many amazing charities that are deserving of your generosity. Please consider partnering with COTS to build better futures. Know that the investment you make has a long-lasting impact on families and changes the trajectory for their children.
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