Center for American Fatherhood

1. Center for American Fatherhood “Rebuilding Communities through Fatherhood” Keith B. Sears, Director Master Trainer www.centerforamericanfatherhood.org

2. Mission Center for American Fatherhood’s Mission • Center for American Fatherhood’s mission is to transform the well being of children by increasing the opportunities of children growing up with involved, responsible, and dedicated fathers. • We accomplish our mission through: • Transformational change of fatherhood roles • Educating and inspiring all American fathers, through public awareness, research, grassroots organization, and other resources. • Developing new leaders for innovative national, state, and local community fatherhood initiatives through curricula development, training, and technical guidance. • Engaging the public, private, and target group sector of society through new alliances and partnerships. • Creating, Advancing, and Educating Fathers

3. CAF Outcomes • Transformed Fathers • Public Support • Community Improvement • New Public Policy • Economic Security for Children • Improve Program Design

4. Center for American Fatherhood 10th Annual International Fatherhood Conference June 10, 2008 – June 13, 2008 Washington, DC

5. Center for American Fatherhood Workshop Session: Asset Development for Fathers “Moving Out of Poverty”

6. Discussion This workshop will focus on the ways fathers can lift themselves and their families out of poverty, and how to improve the opportunities for their children to succeed in the global economy

7. Center For American Fatherhood • In 2001 the median income for married couple families with children was $60,471, compared to only $28,142 for mother only families. Source: Money Income in the United States 2001. Current population reports: P60-218, Table 1

8. Center for American Fatherhood • In 1999 the median income for black female headed families was $18,244 compared to $50,656 for black married couples. For Hispanic families, the corresponding figures were $18,701 and $37,132; for white families $26,529 and $57,089 Source: Money Income in the United States 2001. Current population reports: P60-218, Table 4

9. Center for American Fatherhood Basic premise is that once we teach fathers about responsibility then our job is done Agree or Disagree

10. Center for American Fatherhood Fathers Asset Program Components • Target Group • Recruitment • Orientation • Financial Case Management • Economic Literacy Classes • IDA’s • Asset-Specific Training • Savings Clubs • Bundling of Support Services

11. Target Group • Fathers employed over one (1) year • Stable home environment • Motivated • Non Custodial Parents • Two income families in poverty • Family Goals • Expectations

12. Recruitment • Employers • Churches • Fatherhood Programs • Child Support Enforcement • Court System • Department of Social Services • Hospitals

13. Orientation • Projected savings per month • Projected savings for each individual • Expensive training • Expectations of savings

14. Financial Case Management • Credit history assessment and repair • Approved savings plan • Family or individual mission statement • Budgeting • Goal setting

15. Economic Literacy Classes • Approved basic financial literacy course • FDIC (MoneySmart) • Citifinancial Educational planning • MoneyWise (Consumer Action)

16. Asset Specific Training • Micro-Enterprise Program • Business Training • Business Underwriting • Credit Counseling • Small Business start up grants • Provide access to software to develop business plans

17. Asset Specific Training • 1st Time Homebuyer Education • Homebuyer education certificate program • Landlord education program • Home maintenance education • Credit reports and counseling • Mortgage originator (on site interviews) • House seeker resources • Research, foreclosure, new listings

18. Asset Specific Training • Post Secondary Education • College nights • Workshops on college funding • Career counseling for middle & high school • Youth IDA accounts • Clearinghouse for college scholarships • Americorp & Americorp VISTA

19. Savings Clubs • Peer Support • Success • Talk about trials • Family support • Guest speakers • Financial management & investing

20. Bundling of Services • Medical Insurance • Food Stamps • Transportation • Workforce Development • Childcare Vouchers • Housing Assistance • IDA ( small business, down payment)

21. What have we learned? • Low-income fathers CAN save; they need to be shown that they can. • It can take 6 to 9 months to change lifelong behavior around spending and saving. • IDA programs must be multi-year programs. • As fathers build assets, they build their self-confidence and self-esteem.

22. Center for American Fatherhood • “Assets are hope in concrete form.” • “Income fills people’s stomachs, assets change their heads.” Dr. Michael Sherraden Assets and the Poor

23. Asset Building “Few people have ever spent their way out of poverty. Those who escape do so through saving and investing for the long-term.” Michael Sherraden Center for Social Development

24. Economic Assets Matter • Stronger, Healthier Families • Enhanced Self-Esteem • Long-term Thinking and Planning • More Community Involvement • Hope for the Future • Family

25. Support for Asset Building • Homeownership Support • Small Business Development • Education / Careers • Individual Development Accounts • Rising out of Poverty • Chamber of Commerce • Business Alliances

26. Partners • Funders • HHS: Assets for Independence (Demonstration Program) • DOL • CitiFinancial • Ruth Brown Foundation • Fairfield County Foundation • Tow Foundation • GE Money • Chase Bank • RBS • Housing Development Fund • $75,000 reserved for IDA participants for first-home mortgage assistance • Chase Manhattan Bank • Involved in planning and development of program • Devised way to structure accounts and report account activity

27. Accomplishments of Participants • 58 homes purchased • $12,571,765 • 22 post secondary • 154,113 • 29 business established • 214,643 • Return on Investment (ROI) • 12,940,521 • Total customer savings • 485,643

28. Center for American Fatherhood • Contact information: • Keith B. Sears, Director 34 Woodland Avenue Stamford, CT 06902 203-352-4876 (P) 203-352-2972 (F) KSears@centerforamericanfatherhood.org www.centerforamericanfatherhood.org