Giving Daddies Hope
I just celebrated my first Father’s Day with my little joy, Abigail, who is almost 11 months old (where on earth does the time go)!
Abigail, my wife and I relaxed with a small picnic along with my older brother (a father of three), and our dad. We threw the Frisbee, rocked some Bocce, hit some fly balls and chased the kids around the playground. It was a beautiful afternoon in the park and a great “Thank You” from our wives and kids.
I consider it a great privilege to come from a line of great dads. Both of my grandfathers were committed to providing the best possible kind of life for their families. They worked hard and pursued their goals with respect, humility and an abiding love for their wives and children.
My dad is a great man. He is determined, intelligent, compassionate, honorable and reliable. I cannot remember ever feeling like he wasn’t accessible to me or that I couldn’t go to him with my troubles or questions. Though he is not perfect, he shared his wisdom with all three of his sons and showed us what it means to be a man in America. Much of who I am is a result of his fatherhood.
Back at work, I learned you aren’t on staff long at GCHope before you realize that everyone is on-deck for just about every project, like a very large family. Though I work primarily with volunteers, I have also had a great deal of interaction with the “We’ve Got Your Back” program. Last month, I was working to compile the information we have on the kids in this program.
It was a huge task and very tedious, but it gave me a chance to get a brief glimpse into the lives of these kids. As I scanned through the thousands of names in our files, I was overwhelmed by the volume of children who currently have no regular interaction with their dads. Of the 2,600+ kids who have been served by our program this school year, well over a third of them don’t live with their fathers. Working around these kids, you kind of know that fatherlessness is an issue, but to actually see the names and hear the numbers was a kick in the teeth.
I hate it when people rag on dads for not stepping up. It feels like a sweeping judgment over an often misunderstood group of American males, even though there are certainly biological fathers who are barely worthy of the name. I am much more interested in congratulating those Dads who are doing it right…
To those dads who are taking on three or four jobs to make ends meet, thanks for stepping up.
To those dads that sacrifice their own needs for the sake of their wives, that is what a man does.
To those dads who know the difference between being loved by your kids and being liked by your kids, they will thank you for it someday.
To those dads that are dads to kids whose biological fathers have disappeared, your presence does not go unnoticed.
To those dads who serve without looking for something in return, thank you for investing in your families more than your portfolio.
To my dad and all those who are doing it right, thanks for giving hope to rest of us dads that we can, too.
With Admiration,
Abigail’s Daddy
Special guest blog written by Volunteer Coordinator, Drew Bryson, who just celebrated his first Father’s Day as a father!
Giving Daddies Hope
I just celebrated my first Father’s Day with my little joy, Abigail, who is almost 11 months old (where on earth does the time go)!
Abigail, my wife and I relaxed with a small picnic along with my older brother (a father of three), and our dad. We threw the Frisbee, rocked some Bocce, hit some fly balls and chased the kids around the playground. It was a beautiful afternoon in the park and a great “Thank You” from our wives and kids.
I consider it a great privilege to come from a line of great dads. Both of my grandfathers were committed to providing the best possible kind of life for their families. They worked hard and pursued their goals with respect, humility and an abiding love for their wives and children.
My dad is a great man. He is determined, intelligent, compassionate, honorable and reliable. I cannot remember ever feeling like he wasn’t accessible to me or that I couldn’t go to him with my troubles or questions. Though he is not perfect, he shared his wisdom with all three of his sons and showed us what it means to be a man in America. Much of who I am is a result of his fatherhood.
Back at work, I learned you aren’t on staff long at GCHope before you realize that everyone is on-deck for just about every project, like a very large family. Though I work primarily with volunteers, I have also had a great deal of interaction with the “We’ve Got Your Back” program. Last month, I was working to compile the information we have on the kids in this program.
It was a huge task and very tedious, but it gave me a chance to get a brief glimpse into the lives of these kids. As I scanned through the thousands of names in our files, I was overwhelmed by the volume of children who currently have no regular interaction with their dads. Of the 2,600+ kids who have been served by our program this school year, well over a third of them don’t live with their fathers. Working around these kids, you kind of know that fatherlessness is an issue, but to actually see the names and hear the numbers was a kick in the teeth.
I hate it when people rag on dads for not stepping up. It feels like a sweeping judgment over an often misunderstood group of American males, even though there are certainly biological fathers who are barely worthy of the name. I am much more interested in congratulating those Dads who are doing it right…
To those dads who are taking on three or four jobs to make ends meet, thanks for stepping up.
To those dads that sacrifice their own needs for the sake of their wives, that is what a man does.
To those dads who know the difference between being loved by your kids and being liked by your kids, they will thank you for it someday.
To those dads that are dads to kids whose biological fathers have disappeared, your presence does not go unnoticed.
To those dads who serve without looking for something in return, thank you for investing in your families more than your portfolio.
To my dad and all those who are doing it right, thanks for giving hope to rest of us dads that we can, too.
With Admiration,
Abigail’s Daddy
Special guest blog written by Volunteer Coordinator, Drew Bryson, who just celebrated his first Father’s Day as a father!
