Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday unveiled a $7 million expansion of the “Fatherhood Initiative,” aimed at strengthening father-child relationships, providing financial support, and equipping fathers with vital parenting skills.
First introduced in Adams’ 2025 State of the City address, this expansion underscores his administration’s commitment to making New York City the premier place to raise a family. Research indicates that children with involved fathers are less likely to enter the criminal justice system, highlighting the initiative’s potential to foster safer communities.
Managed by the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), the increased funding will double the number of fathers served from 1,500 to 3,000 over the next two fiscal years. The announcement comes ahead of the city’s first-ever fatherhood symposium, “Empowering Fathers, Thriving Children: A Citywide Fatherhood Plan for Child Well-Being,” taking place on February 28.
“To be the best city to raise a family, we need to ensure families remain connected and receive holistic support from city government,” Mayor Adams said. “DYCD’s ‘Fatherhood Initiative’ has a proven track record of investing in fathers and families for over two decades. Now, our administration is going even further by doubling the program, expanding services, and ensuring that families continue to thrive in our city.”
DYCD has overseen the Fatherhood Initiative for over 20 years, supporting thousands of fathers and families. Studies show that engaged fathers enhance their children’s development, leading to better verbal skills in infants, increased patience in toddlers, and higher academic achievement in adolescents.
“For many years, I was a single father raising two kids and a recipient of services through the Real Dads Network,” said DYCD Commissioner Keith Howard. “If it weren’t for that help, I would not have been able to raise Maya and Tyler in a loving and supportive environment. With this unprecedented expansion of DYCD’s 23-year-old ‘Fatherhood Initiative,’ our outstanding network of providers will have the resources to make this the greatest city to raise a family.”
The initiative offers fathers and their children up to six months of case management, with follow-up services available for up to a year. Its core focus includes parenting skills, co-parenting, employment and education, child support, and child visitation or placement.
DYCD also collaborates with other agencies and organizes citywide events such as Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Dads Take Your Child to School Day, reinforcing the significance of paternal involvement in child development.
