Crucial Roles of Fathers in Family Stability

During the June Alliance Meeting for the 100 Families Initiative of Greene County, a panel came together to emphasize the vital role fathers play in family stability, child development, and overcoming crisis. The event focused on the challenges fathers face—and the growing need for support.

“Many times we would see a healthy family if that father was present and in a positive role,” said Deborah Coots, Executive Director for Options Pregnancy Resource Center. “So we have programs specifically for fathers to empower them to be the best father they can be, to be the leader of the house, to be the strength of the house, to be the provider of the house—and not taking anything away from the woman and the mother—but that support that she's longing for.”

Coots spoke passionately about the emotional weight carried by mothers when fathers are absent, recalling stories of women sitting in abortion clinics, silently hoping the father of their child would show up. She highlighted how Options works to support and equip both mothers and fathers in building strong, stable homes—together.

Robert Powell, a Greene County 100 Families participant, shared how, after separation, he was left with nothing for his children. With help from local programs like The Crossing, Harvest Church, and Options, he received essentials like school shoes and emotional support.

“The connection between the community here is so much greater than what I thought it was when I moved here,” Powell said. “You know, it literally just made all the difference in the world to have that support.”

The panel also highlighted the significant legal and emotional barriers many fathers face. Participants shared that affordable legal aid is extremely limited and that domestic violence resources for men are nearly nonexistent in Greene County.

Several speakers emphasized how male depression often manifests not as sadness, but as anger—and how critical it is to provide men with access to counseling, support systems, and safe spaces to be vulnerable. Both Josh Jordan and Chip Carroll spoke to the need for breaking stigma and encouraging men to reach out.

“One of the most powerful things that I've seen men do is when they actually get together and they bond over the trauma,” said Josh Jordan, pastor at Harvest Church. “We’ve got to come alongside them and say, ‘You’re not alone.’”

Chip Carroll, a community liaison with Research Solutions, gave a powerful account of gaining custody of his grandchildren in the midst of his daughter’s struggles with addiction and mental illness. He spoke about stepping in as a full-time caregiver for a two-year-old and a seven-year-old—navigating everything from trauma and therapy to legal paperwork and financial strain.

“Grandparents get in crisis when they have to instantly raise these kids,” Carroll said, speaking to the broader issue of kinship caregivers who are suddenly expected to take on full parental responsibilities—often without adequate support or resources.

He also shared his own challenges with mental health and how, despite his background in counseling, the experience left his family in a state of crisis. He underscored the urgent need for more resources, not only for grandparents raising children, but also for fathers who often feel isolated, overlooked, or afraid to ask for help.

“If you’re in crisis in even just one area, it can deeply affect the rest of your life—or someone else’s,” said 100 Families of Greene County Coordinator Lauren Brown.

The meeting concluded with a shared hope that more fathers in Greene County will feel empowered to seek the help they need.