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Birthday reflections: SpoFI celebrates 9 years of transforming fathers and families in Spokane

Happy 9th Birthday SpoFI

As the eyes of our nation and much of the world focus attention on Washington, D.C. today to observe the presidential inauguration and thousands gather to honor Martin Luther King Jr., another celebration — albeit much quieter — is taking place at the Spokane Fatherhood Initiative (SpoFI).

January 20th marks our official birthday. On this day nine years ago an important conference convened in Spokane that would change the trajectory of fatherhood support in our region. About 100 Christians from the Spokane region came together for the City Impact Roundtable, a forum to discuss ways the Church could address and help solve the problems of the city.

A divine consensus emerges

Early in the day, participants at each table were asked to identify one issue — only one — that represented the primary problem facing our community. As the volunteer recorder at my table, I planned to speak last. The seven people seated with me passionately and persuasively proposed seven different issues. When my turn came, I said simply, “You know, there is one issue that underlies every one of these seven problems you have raised. And that issue is fatherlessness.” The group unanimously agreed.

This conviction hadn’t come from nowhere. For years, through my experience volunteering at Union Gospel Mission’s shelter for homeless women and children (2008-2018), I witnessed hundreds of mostly unmarried women raising children on their own. The pattern was clear: out-of-control kids, moms worn to exhaustion, and little hope of escaping poverty.

National recognition of a growing crisis

Then in April 2012, Christianity Today magazine published this eye-opening story:

The profile of a fatherhood ministry in Richmond, Virginia facing an “epidemic of fatherlessness” resonated deeply with what we were seeing in Spokane. Through books, news stories, and even a visit to Richmond, the evidence became overwhelming: fatherlessness was influencing nearly every social challenge our community faced.

God confirms the calling

So when that first table at the City Impact Roundtable shared their top issue as fatherlessness, my heart leaped. They were quickly joined by the second and third tables, which had independently come to the same conclusion. By the end of the session, 10 of 12 tables had identified fatherlessness as the number one issue confronting our city.

Our facilitator, Tom White from Corvallis, noted that in his experience leading dozens of these meetings on six continents, he had never seen such unity around a single issue. Typically, he explained, out of 100 leaders, a minimum of four to six issues emerge as priorities. Truly, God was speaking to us through His words in 2 Corinthians 6:18: “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

From vision to reality

That divine momentum led us to incorporate as a federal non-profit in July 2017 and begin offering 24-7 Dad® classes in September 2018. Seven years later, our impact continues to grow:

  • 14 dad classes facilitated in 2024
  • 95.4% graduation rate (125 out of 131 enrolled fathers completed the program)
  • 675 total Certificates of Completion issued since founding

Part of Spokane’s spiritual heritage

During that same foundational meeting, Tom White led the Christian leaders – the elders of our city – in mapping Spokane’s spiritual history:

From Chief Spokane Garry to the healing ministry of John G. Lake, and the crusades of Billy Graham and his son Franklin – this timeline captures God’s faithful work in our city. I wonder if, at a future City Impact Roundtable, someone will add SpoFI to this legacy. After nine years of witnessing transformed fathers and families, I believe we’re writing our own chapter in Spokane’s Christian heritage.

Join us in celebrating

As we mark this milestone, we invite you to:

  1. Share your story – How have fatherhood programs impacted our community?
  2. Make a commemorative gift:
    • $20.16 to honor our founding year
    • $9 monthly to celebrate nine years of impact

Your investment helps us continue restoring the value of fathers and families for years to come.

SpoFI (Spokane Fatherhood Initiative) is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to equipping fathers with the skills and support they need to be present, loving, and nurturing parents. Through evidence-based programs like 24/7 Dad®, we're transforming families and strengthening our community. Learn more about our programs.


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