ABOUT
FATHERS MATTER ATL
From it's inaugural Leadership Summit to today, Fathers Matter ATL is promoting and supporting father engagement by elevating their importance to children, families, and communities.
OUR STORY
Fathers Matter ATL was born in the spirit of collaboration, vision, and transformation. The journey began with the first-ever Fatherhood Leadership Summit on March 3, 2021, convening 186 leaders from 11 sectors across Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas and Fulton counties. Leaders from public health, education, justice, faith, and community organizations gathered to craft a shared strategy for uplifting fathers and strengthening families.
This summit served as the cornerstone for the Community Mobilization Approach (CMA), created by The National Fatherhood Initiative; a collaborative framework facilitated by the Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center (MSM PRC) and the Georgia Department of Public Health. The CMA aimed to assess community needs and assets, engage stakeholders, and develop a strategic action plan to promote fatherhood in metro Atlanta.
As a result, they identified seven key strategies to mobilize efforts over the subsequent months:
-
Connecting Fathers
-
Reaching Fathers
-
Improving Relationships (Between Fathers & Agencies)
-
Supporting Inner Healing
-
Reclaiming the Narrative About Fathers
-
Addressing Mass Incarceration
-
Implementing Father-Friendly Policies
These strategies laid the foundation for the initiatives and programs that would follow, guiding the organization's efforts to engage fathers and strengthen families in the metro Atlanta area.
OUR MISSION
Through advocacy, collaboration, and capacity-building, our mission is clear:
"To promote and support father engagement by elevating their importance to children, families, and communities."
We honor fathers as builders, healers, and leaders—reclaiming the narrative about their role in family and community life.
The vision of Fathers Matter ATL is to work across sectors and create a system that equitably supports fathers.
FUTURE VISION
Fathers Matter ATL is more than an initiative—it is a movement, a clarion call to family serving systems and policymakers. Through strategic partnerships, advocacy, and bold programming, we are creating systems that value fathers, impacting generations to come.
We are promoting creating systems that value fathers, impacting generations to come.
Through fun and innovative events, we have engaged fathers meaningfully, affirming their vital role in their children's lives. By building the capacity of our partners, we have created a more informed and intentional network of organizations committed to father-inclusive policies and programs. Our work has resonated nationally, with presentations influencing broader conversations and collaboration on father engagement. Our recognition through awards and grants underscores the significance and impact of our shared efforts.
