The year 2018 was the final year for a Kentucky CYFAR project targeting fathers/father figures. A group that is often overlooked, this program aimed to assist this target audience in finding the critical characteristics necessary to be better fathers and family men. This program raised the awareness of fathers about their importance in the lives of their children and others within the family. 

A total of 152 male participants from Todd and Wolfe Counties participated in the program over the past five years. Over 50% indicated they their own fathers were not very involved in their lives. However, all participants revealed that as fathers, they personally have improved the communication skills with their children and have a better understanding of the importance of a father/father figure in a child’s life. One participant, who was a grandfather noted that he saw a need to be active in his grandson’s life after the child’s father became addicted to drugs. In Todd County, 76 participants were in the local detention center. Over the course of this program, all have been released and only one has returned as a repeat offender. The CYFAR program assistant in Todd County has reported that all have a new-found commitment to being a better father. Across both counties, a common theme was that participants learning how to “take time to allow their kids to have fun and letting their kids see them have fun” has been a key to strengthening relationships within the family.