by Harold Howard, OPNFF Board President, 4/18/2025
My father just celebrated his 72nd birthday, and we’ll be spending this Easter weekend together doing what we’ve done for years—watching the grand spectacle that is WrestleMania 41. I often tell people: I hit the fatherhood lottery. To this day, my dad is still the first person I call for advice or just a listening ear.
One story I love to share captures just how lucky I’ve been. It was freshman orientation at college. My entire family had made the trip to Tennessee to see me off. I was nervous—overwhelmed, honestly. As they left my dorm room one by one, my father stayed behind. He looked at me and said:
“Son, if at any point this isn’t for you, I’ll turn around and come back to get you.”
That simple gesture changed everything. My fear turned into focus. I knew I had someone in my corner—no matter what. And I was determined to finish what I started, to make the man who had sacrificed so much proud.
I share that story because my dad is just one of many men across Ohio who give their all to bethe best fathers they can be. But here’s the truth: not every dad starts with the same set of tools. Some begin with a full toolbox. Others only have the box. No matter the starting point, the mission is the same—acquire the tools necessary to meet your child’s needs.
That’s where Ohio’s fatherhood programs have stepped in—and stepped up.
Across the state, you're doing transformative work: building dads up with the skills, resources, and confidence they need to thrive as parents. And you’ve done it by listening. You’ve asked fathers what they need most—and here’s what they told us:
Top Goals Among Fathers:
- 48% want to be better fathers and improve their parenting skills
- 38% want to strengthen relationships with their child(ren)’s mother
- 32% are focused on finding employment
- 77% enroll in fatherhood classes
- 53% need job assistance
- 46% need help securing housing
- 35% seek help with child support issues
- 35% need help gaining access to their children
While conversations about the future of fatherhood services continue, the Ohio Practitioners Network for Fathers and Families (OPNFF) stands firm in its belief: that when we provide comprehensive services—including parenting education, case management, co-parenting support, employment services, and legal advocacy—fathers gain the tools to become engaged, loving, and resilient parents.
And when fathers thrive, families thrive.
So here’s a heartfelt shout-out to Ohio’s fatherhood champions: Your work matters. You’re changing lives, one father at a time. Keep listening. Keep showing up. Keep building stronger families across our state.
Please keep an eye out for upcoming virtual events from OPNFF. We want to hear from you—how we can better support your work, and what kinds of training and webinars would be most helpful to you. As always, visit opnff.net to learn more about our advocacy, our programs, and our unwavering commitment to the practitioners and fathers who are building a better Ohio—one family at a time.
Increasing Family Stability while Reducing the Size and Cost of Government
By Eli Williams, OPNFF Board Member
As the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) takes a chainsaw to the budgets of taxpayer-funded agencies, many programs and services are being eliminated or severely reduced. Some of the cuts are having major negative consequences for some of the most vulnerable people and families in our communities. The full extent and long-term impact of these cuts are still unfolding.
My guess is that most people agree that the federal government’s budget does need to be balanced, and that fraud, waste and abuse must be eliminated. They, however, disagree about the methods being used.
My question is this: Is it possible to reduce the size and cost of government while simultaneously strengthening the family, which ultimately benefits children? My answer is “yes.” I believe that public and private investment in father and family programs can have such an impact. Read on.
The well-being of children is inextricably linked to the stability and support of their families. A growing body of research highlights the crucial role fathers play in fostering healthy development and contributing to overall family stability. By actively engaging fathers, we can not only improve outcomes for children but also reduce the burden on government resources.
The OPNFF Board of Directors provided a Virtual Fatherhood Practitioner Training as part of the 2020 Ohio Fatherhood Summit. click here to view the recording
You can now SEARCH for Programs on our website. Is your program in our database? Please take our survey today to make sure your fatherhood program is included in our database and help us learn more about the scope of fatherhood work in our state.
Membership in OPNFF is free and open to anyone! Join a network of over 1200 fatherhood practitioners and advocates today. Go to Join Us, fill out our online form and click submit tio become a member and receive our emails. It is as simple as that!
The federal Administration of Children and Families has released an extensive information memorandum to strongly encourage all human services agencies to prioritize and enhance father engagement. read more...
The IRS has released a new Publication 5307 to help individuals and families understand how the tax law affects them. Please share this information!
Here is what our members say about OPNFF:
"OPNFF is my lifeline for keeping up with everything important relating to fatherhood in Ohio."
-David Justus, Director of the Northcoast Fatherhood Initiative
"As with any rural community-based organization, communication is always an issue. OPNFF helps in relieving us of some of that burden through updates, resources and information."
-Tony Foreman, Executive Director of Families Forward