Baltimore has a program run by the Center for Urban Families designed to help fathers reestablish relationships with their children. The Center helps fathers find jobs as part of their programs. Since its inception, hundreds of fathers working with the counselors in this program have learned to become more responsible parents and reestablish relationships with children whom they had abandoned.
Joe Jones, the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the program, recently stated “what we want to do is get these people above ground and back into the mainstream.” In addition to helping fathers find jobs, the Center takes action to end what Joe Jones refers to as “the cycle of father absence.” The Center seeks to break the cycle of fathers not being responsible for their children.
Children Raised Without Fathers
In 2012, the American Community Survey which was undertaken by the United States Census Bureau showed approximately 19 million children across the United States live in homes without a father.
Many men who come into the Center grew up in homes without fathers. Studies show children who are raised without fathers have a greater likelihood of parenting children during their teens. In addition, children raised without fathers have higher instances of drug abuse and being involved in criminal activity, pursuant to the National Father Initiative. It is the goal of the Center’s Responsible Fatherhood Program to provide men the support system and the basic tools they need to become responsible parents for their children. The program teaches fathers a variety of parenting skills including how to be financially responsible for their children.
About the Founder – Joe Jones
Joe Jones’ father left when he was 9 years old. Jones became a drug addict. He spent more than 17 years taking drugs, selling drugs and committing crimes to support his drug habit. When Jones was 21 years old he had a son. He took no responsibility for the child. In 1986, Jones was convicted of a variety of drug related criminal offenses. He was placed in a residential rehabilitation program. After completing the program, Jones went to Baltimore City Community College and obtained an Associate’s Degree. He worked for a series of non-profit organizations in Baltimore. During this time he realized there were no programs to help fathers. In 1992, he founded the Men’s Service Program at the Baltimore Department of Health. Seven years later he founded his own non-profit organization, The Center for Urban Families. He took this action because he felt he needed to give something back to the community for helping him restart his life. Jones claims to become a better father, you need to become a better man!