During a Florida Legislative hearing on Sept. 25, the Department of Children & Families was criticized by Patt Maney, vice chair of the Subcommittee on Children, Families & Seniors, for mishandling of the House Bill 7065 provisions, intentions and spirit for awarding grants. HB 7065 is the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative.
Single Dads Outreach, a local 501c3, nonprofit Florida corporation alerted the legislative subcommittee that DCF Tallahassee’s awards went primarily to multiple award winners, to federally funded organizations and to national nonprofit powerhouses not located in Florida. HB 7065’s provisions clearly state funds were intended to encourage grassroots, community-based organizations, like Single Dads Outreach. In addition, many areas of Florida were overlooked of passed over, including Southwest Florida.
Vice Chair Patt Maney, representative for the Florida Panhandle, another area passed over by DCF in Tallahassee, ordered DCF to repeat the grant application process promptly to address this short-coming. On Dec. 13, DCF in Tallahassee announced that grant applications for The Responsible Fatherhood Initiative will be accepted.
Single Dads Outreach has, once again, prepared a grant application to provide community, social, educational and counseling services to fathers with sole or joint custody of children and single fathers seeking family reunification including those previously incarcerated.
Single Dads Outreach has leadership opportunities on its Advisory Council for professions, retired or active, in the fields or social work, law enforcement, corrections and education. In addition, Single Dads Outreach services include mentoring from prior, seasoned fathers.
Please contact SDO or your local United Way in Lee, Charlotte and Hendry counties to learn about these volunteer opportunities.
Contributed by Joshua Krakow, SDO Active Dads Administrator and Sean Ryan, President, Single Dads Outreach, Corp.
Read More: Guest Commentary: Responsible Father Initiative funds intended for grassroots