A brotherhood: Milwaukee program graduates a new class of fathers | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PrincessSafiya Byers
April 10, 2024
Martin Hershey was in a tough place when he joined Fathers Making Progress.
Hershey said he was struggling as an individual and with his family. But because of the program, he’s been able to grow as a person and as a father.
“Without this program, I would have never seen my flaws. and I wouldn’t be where I am,” he said. “My kids call to hang out with me now.”
Fathers Making Progress, or FMP, addresses the needs of fathers in Milwaukee by sharing knowledge and resources to help them become the best fathers they can be.
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Hershey, along with 20 other men, became alumni of Fathers Making Progress in early March after completing the group’s Fathers Building Fathers classes.
“I’m just happy to welcome these men into the brotherhood,” said Terron Edwards, the president and founder of FMP. “It’s a blessing to see the growth and watch these fathers own our narrative and change it.”
Fathers Building Fathers is a 12-week program, facilitated by FMP staff, which offers fathers the opportunity to learn best practices for parenting, share what works for them and join a brotherhood of fathers that supports them and pushes them to achieve their goals.
“I learned something new about myself every class,” Hershey said.
According to Tyler LeRoy, a facilitator with FMP, the class is broken down into three modules:
“We wanted to make sure they had a space to feel heard and valued,” LeRoy said. “In these classes, men were able to learn with each other and from each other.”
The class was advertised for young fathers, but fathers of all ages took the opportunity to learn and become better.
Ellis Bayliss is a father of four and has been married to his wife for 55 years. He said while he struggled to give up his Saturdays to take the class, he was happy he did.
“I learned a lot and I felt compelled to contribute to the class,” he said. “I hope I was able to share some knowledge that might help.”
Donald Laster, a father of seven, said it was beautiful to see men uplifting one another.
Because the new graduates are now part of the FMP alumni network, they will continue to have access to the support they built during the class through alumni nights and other activities FMP offers.
“I looked forward to Saturdays,” said Roscoe Riggins, another father who graduated from the program. “The information I gained made me a better father.”
Visit https://www.fathersmakingprogress.org