Welcome to the Community Action Program
 of Lancaster County's
Fatherhood Program Webpage

The Lancaster County Fatherhood Initiative (LCFI) is an organization dedicated to strengthening fatherhood and challenging fathers to be responsible and committed dads and loving role models to children. The organization works with community organizations to make their services/environments more father-friendly. It also provides fathers with education, advocacy, and support, and gives experienced fathers an opportunity to grow by mentoring less experienced fathers.

Marisela Alvarado, former Fatherhood Initiative Caseworker, with Eric Snow, former guard for the Philadelphia 76ers,at the National Fatherhood Summit, San Antonio, Texas, June 11, 2002.

Photo by Jeff Wibberley

The program is affiliated with the National Fatherhood Initiative of Washington, DC whose Founding Chairman is Don Eberly, a resident of Lancaster County.

Our Mission:

The Lancaster County Fatherhood Initiative (LCFI) will strengthen fatherhood and challenge fathers to be responsible dads.

Our Vision:

LCFI will strengthen the institution of fatherhood and will empower fathers to become ever more responsible, committed, and loving role models to children.

LCFI will accomplish this goal by urging community organizations to make their services/environments more father-friendly; by providing fathers with education, advocacy, and support; and by giving experienced fathers an opportunity to grow by mentoring less experienced fathers. As children benefit from the increased positive involvement of their fathers, our community will in turn gain strength.

In addition , the Dads in Training (DIT) program of the LCFI offers workshops for students at McCaskey High, the Career and Tech Center at Brownstown, Manos House, Alternative Rehabilitation Communities, and BASE, Inc.

Dr. Daddy is offered to community fathers and their families in partnership with Dr. Christian Hermansen of Lancaster General Hospital. Dr. Daddy assists fathers in knowing how to care for their children from birth through their early teens when they have a medical problem. From learning first aid through recognizing the symptoms which require a doctor's care, this workshop will give you tools to become a better daddy.

The program is partially funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Economic and Community Development's Center for Community Building.

To find out more about the local initiative , e-mail Patrice Dixon or call her at (717) 431-1027.  For more information on national level fatherhood efforts, check out the web site of the National Fatherhood Initiative.

Fatherhood Program cited in
US Senate Appropriations Report

The United States Senate cited Lancaster CAP's Fatherhood Initiative as an example of "services that innovate and create model programs" using the Community Services Block Grant.  The report, part of the Senate Report on the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services Appropriations for 2002, cited several programs operated by CAA's throughout the country and used them as an examples of why the Community Services Block Grant deserved an increase of $75 million over last year's appropriation.  Specifically, the report said

    "The Committee is...aware that Community Action Agencies are developing model programs in the areas of fatherhood initiatives, mentoring, literacy, and family development.  For example, CAP of Lancaster County, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Metropolitan Development Council of Tacoma, Washington, have excellent fatherhood programs."

As a result of these positive examples, the increase in the federal appropriation was approved by both houses of Congress.

Return to CAP Home Page

Return to CAP Program Listing