About GFF

The Global Fatherhood Foundation (GFF), based in Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County, MN, is a dedicated advocate and mentorship organization committed to empowering fathers, strengthening families, and fostering youth integration. Our mission is to provide fathers with a voice and support system to address challenges that impact their role in the family and society.

We work with fathers across Hennepin County, Anoka County, Ramsey County, and Greater Minnesota, encouraging them to enroll in responsible fatherhood programs and remain actively engaged. Our approach goes beyond just learning parenting techniques—we focus on long-term participation in programs that promote child development, family support, youth integration, education, and positive child discipline to help fathers become responsible, engaged, and resilient parents.

Addressing Barriers to Fatherhood

Many fathers face significant challenges that hinder their ability to actively participate in their children’s lives, including:

Income instability and racial disparities
Spousal abandonment and domestic abuse
Unemployment and workforce barriers
An unfair justice system and incarceration

Building Stronger Families & Integrating Youth

Historically, social support structures, government policies, and market strategies have focused primarily on women’s initiatives, leaving fathers with fewer resources. The Global Fatherhood Foundation bridges this gap by ensuring fathers have access to:
✅ Parental education and family support programs
✅ Mentorship and counseling services
✅ Youth engagement and integration initiatives
✅ Workforce training and reentry support

Through strategic partnerships with community organizations, we are committed to transforming fatherhood into a force for positive change, ensuring that fathers, families, and youth thrive together. By fostering healthy relationships and strong family connections, we create a more inclusive, supportive, and resilient community across Minnesota.

Vision

To transform communities and families by inspiring fathers to help their children be the best they can be. We work to create father-inclusive communities and organizations where every child has an involved, responsible, and committed father. Together, we can build stronger families and a brighter future for all.

Mission

Our mission is to empower fathers and families by providing the understanding, support, and resources they need to become successful parents. Through life skills building, workforce training, mentorship, cultural education, and community partnerships, we help dads access essential resources and engage in healthy, meaningful conversations that promote responsible fatherhood.

Since the campaign’s inception, we have supported over 10,000 fathers in our community and many more across Minnesota through outreach, workshops, parenting classes, and cultural education programs. We are committed to expanding our reach and strengthening families by fostering inclusivity, understanding, and growth in diverse communities

Top Fatherhood Facts

Rise in Father Absence – The absence of fathers in children’s lives began to increase rapidly in 1960, with the number of children growing up without a biological, step, or adoptive father stabilizing since 1995.
Disproportionate Impact on Black and Minority Families – Father absence affects all racial and ethnic groups but has a greater impact on Black and other minority families. Cultural, economic, and systemic factors contribute to these disparities, emphasizing the need for culturally inclusive fatherhood initiatives.
Father-Absent Homes in the U.S. – Nearly one-quarter of American children live in homes without a father figure, which can impact their emotional, educational, and social development. Father engagement is crucial for building stronger family connections and positive youth development.
Changing Family Structures & Cultural Shifts – Trends such as divorce, increased cohabitation, and declining marriage rates have contributed to more children living with an unmarried parent. However, cultural factors and family dynamics influence father involvement. Fathers from diverse backgrounds may engage in nontraditional caregiving roles, proving that involvement is not solely based on cohabitation.
Father Involvement, Youth Integration & Parental Relationships – A father’s involvement is strongly linked to his relationship with the mother at the time of birth. Fathers who have a healthy co-parenting relationship with the mother are more likely to stay engaged in their child’s life. Additionally, youth integration programs and community support systems help fathers stay connected to their children, reinforcing the importance of family unity across cultures.

These facts highlight the importance of cultural understanding, family-focused policies, and youth integration initiatives to promote father engagement, strengthen family bonds, and create thriving communities.

Children’s Living Arrangements in the United States (2018)

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2018), the living arrangements of children under age 18 in the United States vary significantly across racial and ethnic groups. The data highlights disparities in family structures and the presence of both parents in a child’s life.

Overall U.S. Child Living Arrangements (2018)

69.1% of children lived with both parents
22.2% lived with only their mother
4.4% lived with only their father
4.3% lived with neither parent

Living Arrangements by Race/Ethnicity

White Children:

74.6% lived with both parents
17.4% lived with only their mother
4.4% lived with only their father
3.6% lived with neither parent

Black Children

39.7% lived with both parents
48.1% lived with only their mother
5.03% lived with only their father
7.13% lived with neither parent

Hispanic Children

67.0% lived with both parents
24.9% lived with only their mother
4.0% lived with only their father
4.2% lived with neither parent

Asian Children

86.8% lived with both parents
8.5% lived with only their mother
2.2% lived with only their father
2.4% lived with neither parent

Key Insights:

Black children are the least likely to live with both parents (39.7%), compared to Asian children, who are the most likely (86.8%).
A significant portion of Black children (48.1%) live with their mother only, the highest percentage among all racial/ethnic groups.
Father-only households remain a minority across all groups, ranging from 2.2% (Asian children) to 5.03% (Black children).
The percentage of children living with neither parent is highest among Black children (7.13%) and lowest among Asian children (2.4%).

This data underscores the importance of father engagement programs, family support services, and youth integration initiatives to promote stable family structures and improve child well-being.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2018). Living Arrangements of Children Under 18 Years and Marital Status of Parents.

Expanding Our Mission for Greater Impact

Since 2021, we have re-imagined our mission to address a broader range of challenges affecting fathers, families, and communities. Our expanded focus now includes diversity in mental health, vaccine equity, career and workforce readiness, rent assistance, and community housing stability.

We prioritize serving individuals and families below 150-200% of the federal poverty guideline, ensuring that those most in need have access to critical resources. Our work is made possible through strong partnerships with local organizations, state and city agencies, allowing us to effectively plan and execute impactful programs.

Our Success is Built on Community Collaboration

Our achievements would not be possible without the dedication and support of:

CORE members who drive our mission forward
Family partners who strengthen the foundation of responsible fatherhood
Collaborating agencies that share our vision and expand our reach

Together, we are creating lasting change, empowering fathers, strengthening families, and building resilient communities.

Core Values and Intervention Inclusion for fathers.

As communities grow and diversify, fatherhood is transforming across cultures, experiences, and societal barriers. At the Global Fatherhood Foundation, we believe fathers have an immense duty and wisdom to guide the next generation. However, despite their crucial role in child development and family stability, fathers remain underrepresented in parenting interventions.

Research and experience have identified four major challenges in the inclusion of fathers in intervention programs:

Lack of Focus on Fathers – Most parenting programs rarely target fathers or make a dedicated effort to engage them, despite overwhelming evidence of their impact.
Limited Reporting on Father Participation – Even when fathers are included, programs fail to document their involvement or measure how their participation affects child and family outcomes.
Need for Gender-Inclusive Program Design – There is a pervasive gender bias in parenting interventions. A fundamental shift is needed to redesign programs that consider both parents’ roles and evaluate outcomes from a gender-balanced perspective.
Gaps in Data on Father Absence & Youth Incarceration – There is insufficient research and data collection on the causes and consequences of father absence, particularly its link to youth incarceration. Addressing this issue is critical for developing effective policies and interventions.

Core Values

At the Global Fatherhood Foundation, our work is guided by the following core values: