Forever Fathers: William
In 1998, William walked through the doors of The Doe Fund’s Gates Avenue transitional residence in search of a better life for himself and his two sons.
One year later, he would be a Ready, Willing & Able graduate, walking out of those same doors with a job that he would still have to this day, lifelong financial stability, and the means to provide for his children.
Today, William is a father of six and a grandfather of four — with another on the way. He’s happily married and enjoying a life he never imagined for himself: a condo, cars, years of sobriety, and a secure retirement on the horizon.
Coming of age in Brooklyn during the height of the crack epidemic, William spent his childhood surrounded by drugs, violence, and urban decay. He saw hustling on the streets as a ticket out. But it only made things worse, opening the doors to William’s long struggle with substance abuse soon after he dropped out of school.
“Life was very different back then,” he told us. “I never went to jail, but got into drugs. I wanted to be a part of something that I know today isn’t worth being a part of. ”
Through it all, William’s tight-knit family — held together by his mother — was the one refuge from his dire surroundings. Through all his struggles, she was there to support him. She even sold her house to help William pay for rehab.
Now, William isn’t just returning the favor by taking care of her at 91 years old. He’s paying it forward by bringing his mother’s unwavering faith to his relationships with his children.
William credits Ready, Willing & Able with providing him the tools to overcome addiction and succeed in the workforce: he’s been a building maintenance technician at the same apartment complex since he graduated over 20 years ago. But even more importantly, his time at The Doe Fund helped him become the father he was meant to be.
For decades, Ready, Willing & Able parenting classes have taught trainees how to start rebuilding their relationships with their children, support them both financially and emotionally, and navigate thorny legal issues like child support payments. Through our partnership with the City, trainees can have one-quarter of their arrears forgiven from the first day of joining the program.
Completing the parenting course earns trainees a Fatherhood certificate that provides benefits in court settings (such as custodial or visitation cases), as well as for working with outside agencies like the foster care system or parole and probation mandates.
William used everything he learned at The Doe Fund to build close relationships with his children, who now always come to him for advice. “I’m blessed to have the chance to really see my children grow up,” he said of his three sons and three daughters. “I’ve learned how to take responsibility for myself, and I want my children to be able to do the same thing, too.”
At 62, William is looking forward to retiring and being a full-time grandpa. He provides all his kids and grandkids a judgement-free space: “I always tell them, ‘stay true to yourself. Be who you are. Don’t let anyone make you feel less than or talk you into doing anything that you don’t want to do.'”
William is also proud to continue cheering on more and more Ready, Willing & Able graduates through the years. “When I see the men on the street, I tell them my story,” he said. “I’m not ashamed. I want to give them encouragement as fathers so that they too can do this.”
The biggest piece of advice he gives them? “Be the best man you can be,” said William. “We all make mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up for your past — just remember to do better. We learn from our mistakes, and as parents that’s something that we want for our children, too.”
