As an organization with a vision of equitable access to food, Operation Food Search works beyond immediate hunger relief to address systemic issues in the food system as a whole. And this Father’s Day, we want to acknowledge a group that has often been misunderstood when it comes to policy-making: fathers whose incomes fall below the federal poverty level.
And to my partners that figured it out without a father
I salute you, may your blessings be neutral to your toddlers
It’s crucial, they can’t stop us if we see the mistakes
‘Til then, let’s give the women a break, grown men with daddy issues
Kendrick Lamar – Daddy Issues
The lyrics from Grammy award-winning hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar speak to his complicated relationship with his father and how childhood trauma molded his view of the kind of father he wanted to be. He has spoken publicly about his father being a former gang member and how he wanted to reimagine that role for his children.
Some statistics in the St. Louis region cite that 1 in 5 children lives in poverty; for Black and Brown children, it increases to 2 in 5. This Father’s Day is an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and pay tribute to the fathers, grandfathers, and guardians who support and care for children living in poverty. As a food justice organization, Operation Food Search understands the value of federal food assistance programs like WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) play in providing nutritious food at home and school for many food-insecure families. The federal government created the WIC program in the early 1970s over the concern for the growing number of poverty-stricken mothers and their children who were suffering from malnutrition. Today, according to the 2010 US Census, approximately 37% of male headed households receive some form of welfare/government/social service support compared to over 58% among female lead families. Although the program does not provide food packages for men, men can participate in nutrition education, family nutrition counseling, shopping for WIC-approved food, and referrals to health care and other programs that help their families.
This Father’s Day is a good time to be reminded that fatherhood has many different faces that challenge old myths and ideas. No group knows that better than Black fathers who get a bad rap for being the biggest reason for the demise of Black families. Unfortunately, that assumption ignores the supportive village in Black families that help raise the children; it also ignores policies that have contributed to a weakening of the family unit. For decades in this country, if a man lived in a family’s home that was receiving federal aid, the family ran the risk of their benefits being dramatically reduced. That forced single mothers to choose between food for their children over the father being in the home. When you consider punitive poverty policies compounded by trauma, fear, and pride, the chance for healthy relationships between a father and his children is diminished by design.
What can we do this Father’s Day? We can….
- Challenge stigma and stereotypes that perpetuate the narrative that low-income parents are not loving and caring to their children. They want what is best for their children, too!
- Resist the temptation to assume poverty looks a certain way. Some people don’t look like what they have been through.
- Become more versed in the facts on poverty to share with your family and friends. You never know who will mimic your advocacy.
- Support federal policies/programs that create living wage jobs that lead to well-paying jobs instead of policies that punish parents for not working.
- Support advocacy efforts through your representatives and lawmakers who are courageous enough to prioritize the dignity of people in poverty over the debate on poverty.
- Volunteer, donate, and support organizations, like Operation Food Search, dedicated to improving the lives of women, men, infants, and children in poverty.
This Father’s Day let us celebrate those men who are working to be their best selves, despite their temporary economic status, their trauma, or their daddy issues.
Happy Father’s Day!
Fatherhood Resources
WIC – If you are a father, grandparent, guardian, or foster parent see if you qualify for the Missouri WIC program, income guidelines and prescreen tool.
Dads United – Homepage – Dads United
Fatherhood – https://www.fatherhood.gov/
Dear Fathers – Dear Fathers | The Premiere Media Platform for Black Fathers
The Dad Gang – https://thedadgang.com
Center for Family Policy and Practice – CFFPP | CFFPP
National Library of Medicine – When A Father feels Excluded Study: The Role of Fathers in WIC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8221125/