Father to Fatherless non-profit committed to helping youth in Hamilton County

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Father to the Fatherless is a local organization that works in partnership with many community groups, organizations, and schools to help with youth development in our area.  But they are always looking for other businesses to partner with for their outreach.

News 12 sat down with the group for a brief overview of what they do in our community and why.

Aaron Anderson, the assistant director says, “The community has a need… and we try to meet them at that need.”

Father to the Fatherless says they try to meet those needs for youth and their families in Hamilton County.

Through their organization, they provide support for youth in difficult situations. F2F provide court advocates and case management.

Anderson says “we’re walking hand in hand with them regardless of what type of situation, even though you are in this group home or mental health facility, letting you know you still have a purpose in life. You know this is not your final stop, this is just a starting point in what your life is going to be like.”

They are in the schools mentoring as well as helping people of all ages discover career paths.

Ivan Patton says, “We can also help mom and dad, grandmother and grandfather, caretakers. Everyone that surrounds them. It doesn’t do us.. we don’t get the most if we spend time in school and then we send that child back to an environment where the family is suffering.”

Most of all, their goal is available 24 hours a day.

Patton says,” F2F has some of the best community partners from committed individuals who come in and mentor, to people who provide training, to resources, everything we need. Any kind of contributions, financial contributions, ideas, everything. We welcome it, we use it, we certainly want it and we put it to good youth.”

Anderson says, “At the end of the day we want to give them an opportunity to have a normal life. & sometimes our normal is totally different than their normal, but at the end of the day, it’s all about just passing forward and showing them unconditional love at all times.”