Welcome to PGI! We, Paternal Guardians of Iowa, are a 501(c)3 non-profit group established in Iowa, September of 2015. We are here as a resource and support center for all fathers.
Our goal is to help ensure that all children grow up with an active father in their life as we strive to alleviate the epidemic of absent fathers society has created. We provide support through a network of people available to counsel single fathers determined to be an active part of their child’s life. We also provide services, such as financial counseling to fathers who must, unfortunately, take legal action to be a part of their child’s life.
Why
Our founder, Ryan, created this group after his own experience obtaining custody and parental rights of his son. Through his experience he discovered the void of resources available for fathers beginning the long process of gaining custody.
Ryan was fortunate to have a strong support system of family and friends eager to assist, however not all individuals have such assets available. He often wondered, “What if my family couldn’t help me get an attorney?” or even “where would I be if I didn’t have the moral support system I have come to rely on?” These unanswered questions pushed Ryan to establish a reliable, supportive resource to help fellow fathers in need and are central to PGI’s mission.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to advocate and educate for father equality in both the legal system and in our society. This organization dedicated to protecting and advocating for the rights of current and future fathers in Iowa by providing services to help fathers remain positive and active figures in their children’s lives and increase public awareness of the importance of this mission.
Fatherhood Stats:
- Estimated 72.2 million fathers nationally
- 6 million of those fathers are actively married with children
- 2 million single fathers in just the US alone
- One in six single fathers has some kind of custody of his child/children
- 17% of single-parent households are single fathers
- Single fathers include: 44% divorced, 33% never wed, 19% separated and 4.2% widowed
- 90% of fathers enjoy fatherhood and consider is to be the most exciting thing in their lives
- 85% of fathers consider fatherhood to be the best job in the world
- 62% of dads are hungry for more info on how they can be a better father for their children
Children from fatherless homes:
- 33% of all children live in a home without their birth father
- 2% of Americans think an absent father in the household is the most important problem facing American families
- 7% of children are living with a single parent
- 43% of children don’t have a father in the US
- 90% of runaway/homeless children are from fatherless families
- 70% of minors in state facilities are from fatherless homes
- 39% of inmates housed in jail are from fatherless homes
- children without a father are more likely to show disciplinary issues
- 71% of all high-school dropouts are from fatherless households
- Children raised with their fathers are 40% less likely to repeat grades
- 85% of minors in prison grew up without a father
- Children with fathers involved in their lives are more likely to do better in school
- 71% of pregnant teens come from fatherless homes
- 75% of adolescents in substance abuse treatment facilities are from fatherless homes
- 63% of youth suicides happen in fatherless households
- 85% of children with behavioral issues come from fatherless homes
Sources:
- parentspluskids.com
- United States Department of Health and Human Services
- National Center for Education Statistics
- National Institute of Justice
- United States Department of Health
- Center for Disease Control
Legislation We Advocate For
- Shared Parenting
- Relocation Restrictions
- Changing “Visitation Time” to Parenting Time”
- Modifying Child Support Guidelines
Our Team
