Partner Spotlight: Dads2B

Q. Tell us a little about your organization. Where are you located? Who do you serve and what do you focus on?

A. We are located in Columbus, Ohio. We serve dads— new, expecting, and with children under the age of 18. Our focus is prenatal and maternal health to help increase infant vitality.

Q. When was your organization founded, and what inspired your mission?

A. Urban Family Development Center (UFDC) was established in 2015 by Founder & CEO David Fluellen. Urban Family Development Center is committed to providing tools and strategies to families in urban communities to aid in empowering them to overcome poverty. David holds the belief that “Family is Everything.” Community stabilization must start with stabilizing individual families. Urban Family Development Center works to make certain every family has access to the resources required to bring this to fruition.

Q. What’s a recent project, program, or win that you're especially proud of?

A. Although UFDC always celebrates fathers, in June we provide a huge father focused family engagement opportunity to celebrate all dads in the city. We collaborate with the African American Wellness Agency to create “Dads Matter Day,” held at Franklin Park in Columbus on June 6, 2026. This is the second year of celebrating dads with fishing, grilling and a car show.

Q. What’s one issue you're keeping a close eye on right now?

A. We are closely watching how fathers are included—or overlooked—in maternal health spaces. Too often, dads are not acknowledged in delivery rooms or at prenatal appointments. We’re focused on teaching fathers how to advocate for themselves, ask informed questions, and ensure their presence is recognized as an essential part of the family’s care team.

Q. How do you partner with families and communities in your work?

A. We partner closely with families and communities by working alongside trusted organizations such as OSU Moms2B, CelebrateOne, the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, Evolve in Youngstown, and several other local partners. Together, we provide education, support, and resources that strengthen maternal health and empower families across the communities we serve.

Q. How did you first hear about or get involved with Groundwork Ohio?

A. We got involved with Groundwork Ohio by attending and participating in community events and speaking on the same panels.

Q. What do you wish more people understood about the families you serve or the work you do?

A. I wish more people understood that the fathers and families we serve are deeply committed to their children, but they often lack access and support. Our work isn’t about “fixing” families—it’s about removing barriers, restoring dignity, and creating opportunities for fathers to be present, confident, and connected. When fathers thrive, entire family systems stabilize and communities grow stronger.

Q. How do you work with other organizations or community partners to create change?

A. We create change by building intentional, mission‑aligned partnerships across health systems, schools, nonprofits, and public agencies. UFDC collaborates with hospitals on infant vitality, with workforce partners on employment pathways, and with community organizations to expand fatherhood engagement across Ohio. We don’t duplicate services, we braid them together, so families experience a seamless network of support. Collaboration is how we scale impact and ensure fathers are supported at every stage of their journey.

Q. What keeps your team inspired or grounded in this work?

A. Our team stays inspired by the fathers themselves, their resilience, their growth, and the way they show up for their children even when life is hard. Every success story, every healthy birth, every dad who gains confidence or secures a job reminds us why this work matters. We stay grounded by remembering that we are serving real families with real needs, and that our work has generational consequences. That responsibility fuels us every day.

Q. Why is advocacy important to your work?

A. Advocacy is essential because systems, not just individuals, help to shape family outcomes. We advocate to ensure fathers are seen, valued, and included in policies, programs, and funding decisions. Without advocacy, fathers remain invisible in spaces where their presence could transform outcomes for children and mothers. Advocacy allows us to elevate community voices, challenge inequities, and push for statewide change that supports healthy families and thriving communities.

Q. What do you think is important to help make Ohio the best place to be a young child?

A. Ohio becomes the best place to be a young child when every family, especially those facing the greatest barriers, has access to stable housing, quality health care, economic mobility, and strong parental support. That includes recognizing fathers as essential partners in infant vitality and early childhood development. When we invest in parents, strengthen community networks, and build systems that honor the whole family, we create conditions where every child can grow, learn, and thrive.