South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families program uses $35,000 grant to help put fathers to work

Tuesday, November 05, 2019

Tags: South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families , Outreach

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The Man 2 Man fatherhood program, which is a program of the South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, received a $35,000 grant from the Perdue Foundation that has been helping put fathers to work in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. WBTW-TV aired a story about how the funding support's the program's Employability Bootcamp, which helps fathers gain employment.

The full text of the article is below and the video is available here.

$35K grant helps put fathers to work in Pee Dee region

A $35,000 grant from the Perdue Foundation has helped Man 2 Man Fatherhood Initiative put fathers to work in the Pee Dee over the last year.

The Foundation’s funding supports the fatherhood program’s Employability Bootcamp, which provides skills assessment, education and training for fathers to gain employment or advance to higher-wage careers.

“They receive the skills on not just how to get the job but on how to retain the job,” said Derrick Dease, Man 2 Man executive director. “And retaining those jobs so they can be a better asset to their families.”

Kim Nechay, executive director of the Perdue Foundation, said, “We’re thrilled our support is helping fathers be a positive and consistent presence in their children’s lives, and building stronger families.”

Man 2 Man’s employment development model combines an initial skills assessment, a 20-hour bootcamp focusing on improving soft skill development, and a six-week economic stability curriculum focusing on personal money management. Last year, this three-pronged approach helped more than 200 men gain part-time or full-time employment.

Larry Burroughs, a resident of Florence, S.C., and father of two girls ages 9 and 11, was unemployed and struggling to make his child support payments. A family court judge suggested Burroughs take advantage of the fatherhood program at Man 2 Man for the help he needed to get his life back on track.

“I had never heard of Man 2 Man, but when I got there, it was a professional, positive and supportive place,” said Burroughs. “They made me feel like they understood me and encouraged me to set my goals and told me they could help me get there if I applied myself and stayed positive.”

Burroughs did apply himself by attending all employment program sessions, taking an active role in weekly group discussions and maintaining a focus on his goals. The staff at Man 2 Man took note of his determination and, after graduating in May 2019, he was chosen as a candidate for tuition-paid training to become a licensed forklift operator through an educational partnership Man 2 Man has developed with Florence-Darlington Technical College.

After completion of the class, Man 2 Man helped Burroughs prepare to interview for a job with the Building and Grounds Department of Florence School District 1. Burroughs was hired and is now waiting for a forklift driver position to open within the system.

“You have to start somewhere but having training and a license to operate a forklift will move my name up on the list of candidates when an opening comes up,” said Burroughs.

In addition to steady employment with benefits and a retirement plan, he also has a new career path. Payroll deductions for child support payments mean he doesn’t have to worry about getting behind again.

“Man 2 Man gives you the vehicle to get to where you need to be. And, they made me feel I could do whatever I wanted to do,” said Burroughs. “Even if you don’t have financial problems but just want to learn how to be a good father, I’d say Man 2 Man is the place to go.”

Man 2 Man Fatherhood Initiative serves fathers and families in Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence and Marlboro counties and is part of a statewide network of fatherhood organizations guided by the South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families (SCCFF), a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System. Last year, 684 program participants completed job readiness training across the state with 70% gaining employment upon completion.