South Carolina fatherhood program strengthening relationships between fathers and children

Friday, May 25, 2018

Tags: South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families , Outreach

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A Father’s Place, which is a program of the South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, is working with a shelter in Myrtle Beach to help men served by the shelter reconnect with their children. WBTW News13 spotlighted the partnership with New Directions and the work A Father’s Place is doing in Myrtle Beach. The text of the article is below or watch the news story here.

The South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System.

Grand Strand leaders come together to strengthen relationship between fathers and children

Two local organizations on the Grand Strand are coming together to help strengthen relationships among men and their families. 

A Father's Place is currently working with New Directions to give the men in their shelter a chance to reconnect with their children. "We want to make an impact on this community," said Ricky Syndab with A Father's Place. He said there about 30 to 40 men they're looking to give long-term counseling, and they want to bridge the gap for the men who may otherwise not get to see their children.

The collaboration between the two organizations is what Syndab said the community needs. "They provide a service that we can assist them with," said Syndab. "After we work together in the collaboration, we can produce men and families that will be able to be productive in the Myrtle Beach area." 

Joseph Stiltner is a father of two children and a former participant in A Father's Place. He said he was addicted to heroin for nearly 10 years, but they were able to help him get his life back on the right track and have a positive life with his kids. "They really helped me be able to relate to my children better because I had that disconnect with my father and the household I grew up in," said Stiltner. 

He said he's confident the partnership with A Father's Place and New Directions will be helpful for the men, because he's been in their shoes. "My wife and I probably wouldn't be together still to this day if it wasn't for what I learned in A Father's Place about healthy relationships," said Stiltner. 

Syndab said they've been meeting with New Directions and they are brainstorming different ways to provide the best counseling possible to strengthen families and the community overall. The Myrtle Beach office of A Father's Place will be open regularly beginning in July.