Wal-Mart donates to fatherhood program

DARLINGTON – The Wal-Mart Foundation presented Fatherhood & Families Engagement Program with $25,000 at the Darlington Library on Monday.

“The money will provide training for young men in the program and try to get them back in the mainstream of life,” Rep. Robert Q. Williams, president of the program, said. Since the job market is so poor, the group thought that would be the best use of the funds.

“The Fatherhood & Families Engagement Program is making a positive impact within their community through innovative and proactive programs that steer young fathers toward a more successful future, and we at Wal-Mart are excited to support their efforts,” said Kevin Clinton, regional market manager for Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Last year, the foundation gave $9 million in cash and in-kind donations to local groups in South Carolina, Clinton said.

“We hope this day is the beginning of a new relationship with Wal-Mart,” Williams said.

“This should do a lot for us,” said Edward Hicks of Florence, who participates in the program.

Hicks is back in school at Florence-Darlington Technical College studying human services thanks in part to the program. He said he’s been in trouble but remains married to his wife and stays with his children.

He said the program has kept his family together.

“These people stood behind me and took a chance on me when nobody else did,” Hicks said.

The program helped him write out and work toward specific, attainable goals. Hicks added that the family-oriented program helps men who have children but may have lost touch with them.

“We don’t want kids growing up without their fathers. The only people who are hurt in that situation are the kids,” Hicks said. “Kids are the foundation of everything.”

He added that children in today’s society need role models like Williams.

Hicks was not the only one to praise Williams for his efforts in the community.

“He touches lives throughout this area,” Rep. Denny Neilson said of Williams.

The Fatherhood and Families Engagement Program, which currently serves 35 men, provides resources for young fathers to help them build healthy relationships with their children and become responsible citizens. Many of the fathers in the program face a multitude of obstacles including substance abuse, past arrests, attention and learning difficulties, lack of marketable skills for employment and more.

Jacqueline Gattison, board member and curriculum coordinator for the program, said the program offers transitional services for veterans and helps rehabilitate men coming out of incarceration. The group also helps with mentoring, counseling for families, job training and assessments and driving services. She added that the program refers men to adult education to get high school diplomas or GEDs.

The program holds weekly meetings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Florence-Darlington Technical College near its corporate office in Room 109. Participants share stories, get information and help each other with problem solving through difficult times.

Anyone is welcome at these meetings. The program accepts people from across the Pee Dee with no age limit or cutoff.

The program will soon be opening a second Darlington office on Law Street in the Old Carriage House and still has a location on Pearl Street while the corporate office is at Florence-Darlington Technical College.

Info: (843) 679-5350