KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Whether you're a dad, step-dad, or soon-to-be dad— the Fatherhood Network is here for you, so you can be there for your kid.
The Kalamazoo-based organization was launched in 2015 by Kevin Lavender Jr. after struggling to see one of his three daughters for six years.
"I went through a lot of trauma through that process, because I didn't know where she lived," he told FOX 17. Lavender said during that time, other dads rallied around him and gave him advice.
"I found and connected with other fathers going through similar things." From there, Kevin says the organization was born. "The involvement of a father is so important, it makes our families healthier, which makes our communities healthier, and that's what we're all about."
Since 2015, the network has helped almost 10,000 fathers through events, social media, workshops, and mentoring, according to Lavender.
"In no way do we promise or posture ourselves as experts. What we are are lifelong learners of what it means to be a committed, engaged father," he said.
The network aims to encourage dads to keep showing up for their kids, no matter what.
"My son smiles more. He's talking to people more, being around more people allows him to not be shy," Joshua Gipson told FOX 17.
Gipson was already an active and present father before joining the network two years ago, now he feels he is on a path forward to being an even better man, husband, and father.
"The fatherhood network has allowed me to be more of a creative person when it comes to how I teach my kids and how I interact with them," he said.
For more details on the Fatherhood Network, click here.
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