2023 Pro Abundant Life Fatherhood Project Report

Fatherhood Project PRO ABUNDANT LIFE 2023

Fatherhood Project

As a national, Pro Abundant Life organization, Care Net leads its network of more than 1,200 pregnancy centers in serving fathers because fathers are valuable to God, highly influential in their partner’s pregnancy decision, and vital for the future wellbeing of their child.

men who are involved in unplanned pregnancies, Care Net has developed resources and training that prepare pregnancy centers to welcome men into their centers and meet them with compassion, hope, and help from the outset of their fatherhood journey. When

In fact, involved fathers are a key component in further decreasing the number of abortions in the United States.

Based on national surveys conducted by Care Net with Lifeway Research, both women who have had an abortion and men whose partners have had an abortion list the father of the unborn child as the most influential factor in the abortion decision. To address this need to reach and equip

men are empowered to speak on behalf of their unborn children and are trained in the practical skills needed to care for their partner and child, mothers facing unplanned pregnancies gain the help and partnership of their child’s father, which can continue long after the pregnancy center’s services end.

Care Net desires to see this ministry to the whole family become an unquestioned and well-integrated part of every pregnancy center’s mission and vision.

In 2021, Care Net invested significant funding, resources, and training to launch 10 pilot fatherhood programs at pregnancy centers around the country. With key learnings from the pilots, Care Net doubled the size of the project in 2023: 20 fatherhood programs were selected from 90 pregnancy center applications. Each center collected and reported data and progress toward benchmark goals to allow us to improve the program. The centerpiece for each site was the online version of Doctor Dad® (Care Net’s foundational program for new and expectant fathers).

While the initial 2021 pilot collectively saw a 20% increase in total men served compared to the prior year, the added centers in 2023 saw a 39% increase in total men served, reaching more than 6,000 fathers. Of the 19 centers that remained in the project for the full year:

• 17 completed their goal to graduate 25 client dads from all 8 sessions of the Doctor Dad® course; and

• 1,290 client dads enrolled in the Doctor Dad® course with a total of 491 graduates.

These dads learned about how to care for their partner during pregnancy and delivery and their child from the womb

Our Impact

through toddlerhood. They went through gospel-centered devotionals, submitted practical assignments (like baby swaddling) and demonstrated consistent growth in their knowledge, skills, and planned

engagement through pre/ post-tests. “Fatherhood Champions” (Care Net’s term for each center’s men’s ministry leader) were raised up as national leaders to mentor other centers in their states and regions.

This report will share the tremendous results of this project in the form of data, testimonials, photos, and key learnings that will be applied to Care Net’s further efforts to support and lead this vital movement for fathers and families. Care Net is now leading a statefocused version of this project for 2024 with 6 centers in Texas while seeking additional funding to expand in additional regions.

Client Success

Our 2021-2022 pilot project showed the need to further hone best practices for tracking and reporting the impact of men’s services within pregnancy center ministry. Behind every number is a precious individual who has a generational impact on his family and community. Because robust data tracking helps us improve and scale this program, the 2023 project added additional reporting requirements across four data checkpoints. Added data sets allowed Care Net to celebrate progress and make adjustments along the way. The Lord blessed our work: We observed accelerated growth and exceptional outcomes in every area during each data collection point.

39% INCREASE in the total amount of men served as clients (6,185 in 2023)

33% INCREASE in total male client visits to the center (9,890 in 2023) 25%

INCREASE in total men present at ultrasound appointments (3,342 in 2023) 26% INCREASE in total men served through STD testing (216 in 2023 across 9 centers offering it)

45% INCREASE in total men served at pregnancy test appointments (3,517 in 2023)

72% INCREASE in total men who attended parenting education or support classes (2,592 in 2023)

Project Training

182% INCREASE in total men who graduated from a full parenting education or support program (Doctor Dad® and additional programs)

Fatherhood ministry within pregnancy centers has long been an under-resourced focus, without formal or standardized training. The Fatherhood Champion at each center often starts from the drawing board with little or no budget to piece together an effective approach. With these limitations, it often takes years for programming to get off the ground and see traction. This project sought to change that, setting a new standard for how well men in the center should be trained and how quickly their efforts can be integrated.

Testimonials

We had an abortion-minded couple find us online as they searched for abortions. They came to the first appointment together, and seeing the ultrasound made such an impact on both of them. The dad spent a long time (a couple visits also) with the Male Advocate. He was encouraged by his advocate to share his feelings with her and that he really does want to support her in this pregnancy. We received confirmation from them after their second visit that they had changed their mind and wanted to get signed up for prenatal and parenting classes right away -- that they were already in love with this baby and couldn't wait to meet him/her and wanted to become the best parents they could be!

–Kirk, Fatherhood Champion (TX)

Having the resources to help men become better fathers has allowed us to see an increase in the number of women who walk in abortion-minded choose life because we were able to connect with the father of the baby. This project has helped many fathers gain the confidence they need while preparing for the arrival of their child.

–Jared, Fatherhood Champion (GA)

We have a father in our program that shared about having a drug addicted mom and workaholic dad. While his dad instilled work ethics in him, he always felt that there was a lack of connection. When he came to our center, he and his girlfriend had only recently found out they were pregnant. Soon after he got his hands on Doctor Dad®, he dove right into it desiring to learn as much as he possibly could to be the best father he could be and to support his wife as they continue to build their family. They have gotten married and have already had their baby boy. He is not only a great father but an inspiration to the rest of the dads in our program.

–Raequane, Fatherhood Champion (AL)

Church Engagement

Another feature of this project was the intentional distribution of Care Net’s Making Life Disciples™ curriculum to local churches. Making Life Disciples™ (MLD) is a 12-week basic training that equips a select group of first-responders in any church or parish to offer compassion, hope, and help to women and men facing unplanned pregnancies. It also serves to raise the life-affirming IQ of the whole church— including senior leadership—related to abortion.

When leaders and members of churches better understand how to minister to women and men involved in unplanned pregnancies, they can exponentially multiply the ministry of the pregnancy center by reaching people facing pregnancy decisions in their own pews. They are also more ready to care for pregnancy center clients who are referred to them for ongoing discipleship. For this project, we sought to gain more engaged church partners who could offer long-term care and discipleship to Doctor Dad® graduates and their families. Data submitted by project centers show growth in use of MLD:

135 churches were listed as missional partners in reaching men in 2023 (70 in 2022)

Centers report 119 people completed MLD in 2023 (66 in 2022)

510 copies of MLD were intentionally distributed to partner churches (188 in 2022)

47 men connected with local church discipleship programs (10 last year)

While serving 6,185 male clients across 19 pregnancy centers in one year is an incredible achievement that will lead to a host of positive outcomes, the greatest challenges and successes of this project involved moving fathers past initial visits to full program participation and completion. To aid in this effort, Care Net created a brand new online version of our Doctor Dad® course during 2022 with learnings and feedback from the pilot project centers. The course was expanded from 4 to 8 sessions, including new interactive devotionals that communicate the gospel and model the fatherly attributes of God. New pre/post tests were integrated into the online course to automate the collection of helpful data on what dads actually learn, how they grow in their planned engagement, and how they grow in their competence in necessary skills for infant and toddler health. Clients can now take the course at home at their own pace; with a specified number of check-ins with a fatherhood coach along the way; at on-site 1-on-1 coaching sessions; or even in group settings.

1,290 client dads registered as learners in the Doctor Dad® course

491 client dads graduated from the Doctor Dad® course

17 centers reached or surpassed their goal to graduate 25 client dads each

5 centers graduated 30 or more client dads

IN UNDER A YEAR:

Doctor Dad graduates demonstrated

the following

growth in three areas through tests taken at the beginning and end of the course:

Increased Fatherhood Knowledge

15% average increase in knowledge (average end score of 81%)

Fathers Planned Engagement

10% average increase in planned engagement (average end score of 97%)

Competent in Skills Taught

19% average increase of competence in the skills taught in Doctor Dad® (average end score of 97%)

Care Net staff had the opportunity to attend several fellowship and celebration events for dads who were taking or had graduated from Doctor Dad®. It was beyond an honor to meet these dads, hear their direct feedback on the course, see photos of their children, and encourage them in their continued fatherhood journeys. Events were hosted at local church facilities, in center parking lots, and at local ax-throwing venues. In the photo below, a whole section was taken up at a minor-league baseball game in NY by Doctor Dad® participants, center fatherhood coaches, and supporting pastors.

Doctor Dad ® CONNECT

One of the most exciting reports of innovation this year came from First Choice for Women in Muncie & Anderson, IN, a center that launched men’s services during our 2021-22 pilot project and also participated in the 2023 project. The groundwork laid through MLD during the pilot project really paid off this year. In the Fall of 2023, their Fatherhood Champion, Shannon, reported:

We have had three Doctor Dad® CONNECT workshops associated with graduating fathers and introducing new fathers to the program. The most recent workshop paired couples from an ongoing MLD class with client couples at New Life Presbyterian Church, Yorktown, IN. It was a great success with the addition of a game we created to encourage informal socializing among couples that did not know each other. I could not have paired each client couple with better MLD class couples. It was a great evening of socializing and connecting. The pastor, Bob, who is also leading the MLD class, gave a very warm and humble invitation to our clients at the end of the workshop. The whole evening was exactly what I had intended, in terms of connecting clients to the church, and much more!

Prayer Team

A dedicated national prayer team prayed throughout the year for the project centers and the dads they were reaching through Doctor Dad®. Demetri Bothwell offered the following prayer at the start of the project:

It's an honor and privilege to be a part of this prayer team. My prayer is that the Lord will do abundantly more than we can think or ask. Lord move by your power, and by your spirit over every center, every client advocate, every dad, every community under this network. I pray these men encounter you afresh and are transformed by the gospel. Be merciful to these men, Father, and their families. For your glory Lord, I pray that you will be magnified by the stories and testimonies that come forth from this.

We were thrilled to see just how beautifully prayers like this were answered!

Key Learnings From 2023

Overcoming Challenges: We found that a strong Memorandum of Agreement allowed both Care Net and the centers to overcome obstacles in pursuit of common goals.

Doctor Dad® in Spanish: Project centers expressed that if they had Doctor Dad® in Spanish, they could reach many more dads. Approximately 20-50% of clients across Care Net affiliated centers nationally are Spanishspeaking. A Spanish edition of Doctor Dad® will launch in 2024.

More Topics Needed: Centers were eager to help dads with topics in addition to what is covered in Doctor Dad® like coparenting and marriage, personal health and habits, and work and finances. Care Net’s Fatherhood & Family team is developing a new course to launch in 2024 called Healthy Dad.

Shared Leadership: This project allowed us to observe how various Fatherhood Champions mobilized their teams and raised up additional leaders. In future projects, we are adding additional curricula but have encouraged each center to designate a Fatherhood Champion and additional volunteer leaders to fill the necessary roles.

Centers of All Sizes: We saw tremendous growth and impact at both large and small centers. The smallest center in the project actually had the most graduates of Doctor Dad® and even assisted other centers in reaching their goal, while some of the largest multi-site centers struggled more than we expected.

Gen Z Leadership: Creating room for younger generations paid big dividends. Ethan Van Buskirk, the only Gen Z Fatherhood Champion in the project, trained a team of 20+ fatherhood mentors to cover the three locations of his center in less than a year and increased the amount of male clients served by 41% in 2023.

Next Steps

Upon the success of this national project, we have launched the first regionally-focused iteration of the project with 6 pregnancy centers in Texas. The learnings above and our current plans for addressing and incorporating them will factor into the 2024 TX Fatherhood Project and we will continue to innovate and prepare for additional regions. We are grateful for everyone who made our 2023 project possible and look forward to scaling this impact across Care Net’s network of more than 1,200 pregnancy centers.

Soli Deo Gloria!