Fathers and Families Center announced Larry Smith as its new president and CEO. Smith, who is also a Recorder columnist, started his role this month and has hopes for expanding the organization, which helps fathers, grandfathers and women find the tools they need to take on the responsibilities of parenthood.
Fathers and Families gives resources, guidance and support to men to encourage them to be great parents. The organization has various programs to help with essential skills, parenting skills, high school equivalency completion and financial literacy.
Most importantly, Smith said, the organization ensures fathers have the tools they need to develop strong co-parenting skills.
“Whether parents are together or apart, children need to see that they can get along,” Smith said, “that the child feels loved, even if mom and dad don’t live under the same roof.”
The founding president and CEO of Fathers and Families, Pastor Wallace McLaughlin, said in a statement he is excited and pleased that Smith will have his position. He said Smith’s management skills and community leadership experience will be an essential asset to the organization.
“I strongly believe that Larry’s personal, religious, and academic development has uniquely prepared him to assume the helm of this agency at such a time as this,” McLaughlin said. “He acutely knows and understands the challenges and complexities that many of our African American men and their families face each day.”
Smith said Fathers and Families has been a “well-kept secret” that he wants to make more known. His hope is to broaden the organization so it is the first thing that comes to mind when people are looking for parenting resources.
Smith became a father to his first daughter just shy of his 17th birthday. It was difficult and embarrassing, he said, especially because he was riding the bus from his home on the east side to a predominately white Perry Township school, all while he held different positions as class president, vice president, homecoming king and prom king.
“I was so involved,” Smith said. “I had all of these positive things going on in my life as a high school student and then, wow, here’s a baby. So, I had to figure that out. … In many ways, my older daughter and I kind of grew up together.”
Smith pushed through, continuing to hold his class president position and finish school with one thing on his mind: maintaining a strong relationship with his daughter and her mother whom he co-parents with. Smith said he wishes an organization like Fathers and Families had been around for him to learn from.
Fathers and Families is crucial to the future of Indianapolis, Smith said, because more people need to understand the importance of fatherhood and Fathers and Families has a role to play to get more fathers involved.
Fathers and Families has a three-week class for men to learn how to provide for their families and be outstanding role models. Class topics include health care enrollment, legal issues, health and wellness, and career exploration. The program also helps fathers get a high school equivalency diploma and provides on-site counselors for them to talk to.
There is also a Woman to Woman program held twice a month for women and co-parents to learn self-care, better communication, raise awareness on domestic violence and promote healthy relationship choices. The program also helps women get a high school equivalency diploma and employment placement.
Smith’s goal as president is to upgrade the organization’s technology, create an app, ensure employees are compensated fairly and have the tools they need to succeed.
“I want to ensure that the people who are here want to be here and have a passion for ensuring that fathers have the tools that they need,” Smith said.
Contact staff writer Jayden Kennett 317-762-7847 or email at [email protected] Follow her on Twitter @JournoJay.
