Good Dads Great Communities Ep. 3 - Identifying Your Community Goals

In this episode of Good Dads, Great Communities, Dr. Jennifer L. Baker, founder and Executive Director of Good Dads, and co-host J. Fotsch discuss how to build fatherhood initiatives and strengthen communities through engagement, collaboration, and leadership. Dr. Baker shares how Good Dads started with a simple idea and grew into a multi-chapter organization supporting thousands of fathers. She and Fotsch highlight the importance of identifying community champions, creating safe spaces for dads to connect, and fostering conversations that promote strong family involvement. If you're looking to start or grow a fatherhood initiative in your community, this episode provides practical steps, success stories, and motivation to get started. Episode Highlights [03:08] "Every child has a father, whether or not that child lives with him. But too often, fathers are invisible in community programs." [04:55] "If you look around, you’ll likely find that most programs for dads exist only in faith-based communities or probation and parole—not in everyday community spaces." [06:32] "The first step is simple—get dads together in a space where they feel comfortable talking. That alone is missing in many communities." [08:00] "Many men talk about sports and work, but they rarely talk about being a dad. We wanted to change that." [14:39] "We made it okay for dads to talk about being a dad. That was the game-changer." [20:26] "Breaking the cycle matters. Just because you didn’t have a dad growing up doesn’t mean you can’t be a great one." Resources 📩 Sign up for the Good Dads Newsletter and never miss a podcast! 🌐 Learn more about Good Dads Great Communities! 📧 Questions or comments? Reach out to Good Dads at [email protected].