Father’s Day is an important day at ACHIEVEability, even though our Family Self Sufficiency Program (FSSP) serves mostly single moms. We celebrate the handful of dads in our midst because just like our moms, they are committed to working hard and paving the way for a brighter future for their children.

Most of the children in our families yearn for positive male role models. Their moms embrace them with much love and try their best to be both mom and dad, but that is impossible. Only a man can show a boy what it means to be a man. Men instill the type of confidence in our daughters that prevent our precious girls from going down the path of low self esteem and sexual exploitation. Our daughters need to experience what it truly means to be loved and respected and honored by the significant men in their lives. Hopefully, if the biological father is not involved, they have step fathers, grandpas, uncles and/or family friends who are those positive male figures.

ACHIEVEability’s children are not the only ones missing dads and positive male role models. One out of every three children in America will go to bed in a home without a father. And it is not just that these kids are going to bed without their fathers tonight. 40 percent of children who do not live with their fathers have not seen them during the past year. One-half have never set foot in their fathers’ homes.

Dads have life-long influences on their children. The economic benefits of having a dad and a mother in the house can be profound as parents choosing to tie the knot can decrease a child’s risk of living in poverty by about 80 percent. As such, we are extremely dedicated in supporting single parents in our Family Self-Sufficiency Program and providing them the opportunity to become successful parents; however, we acknowledge that we encourage and emphasize the importance of a loving, supportive union between consenting adults. It is an honor for me to get to know our single fathers [as well as our single mothers] who are willing to make sacrifices to better the lives of their children, who embrace the mantle of accountability, and who are dedicated to becoming self-sufficient in spite of the statistics.

As we reflect on the importance of dads this Father’s Day, individuals and policymakers should recognize the necessary role fathers play in raising the next generation of citizens and safeguarding a strong civil society. National leaders should seek ways to promote the importance of marriage so that more children can grow up in a stable household and experience the unique benefits of a married mother and father. Policies must begin to reflect the American dream of creating a family that has two parents committed to creating a legacy for future generations.

On this Father’s Day, please join us at ACHIEVEability in celebrating the lives of all fathers who lead by example and who are committed to making their families’ lives as supportive, thriving, and hopeful as can be. May Father’s Day be a happy occasion for you to remember and celebrate those who have been positive male figures in your own life. And on behalf of committed dads like myself, make this Father’s Day an enjoyable one!