$5.4M in expenses

The South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families (Center) was established in 2002 as a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System (SCHS). The Fatherhood initiative of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina (Foundation) led to the establishment of six fatherhood organizations. The Center, through a partnership with the Foundation and the South Carolina Department of Social Services, provides financial support for these programs. The community-based programs provide services to low-income fathers around responsible fatherhood, job readiness and employment, parenting and co-parenting, healthy relationships, and additional services on a case-by-case basis. To date, the Center has served more than 25,000 fathers and families and has impacted the lives of more than 56,000 children.

$493K in expenses

The Jobs Not Jail program sponsored through state appropriation since 2012 has been very successful. This program offers fathers who are behind in child support payments an alternative to incarceration. Through employment training, these fathers can obtain work at a living wage which in turn enables them to support their children. In 2024, this program gave 123 men the opportunity to gain employment and meet their child support obligations rather than go to jail. This resulted in savings to taxpayers of $1,416,960.

$40K in expenses

The Health Access Initiative provides physical and mental health screening and health education for fathers, thus providing fathers a better way to provide for their children by becoming healthier and dealing with potential health issues at an early stage. With improved health, fathers will maintain better work records, which will enable them to retain employment and support their children. With the ability to support their children these fathers can become an integral part of their children's lives.