When a father goes to prison, the family tells the kids: "Daddy's at work." Daddies At Work turns that lie into something real. We pay daycare directly to the center, so moms keep their jobs, kids stay safe, and fathers stay connected to the lives they're fighting to get back to.
When are you coming home, Daddy?
The question that started everything. Asked by a 4-year-old girl to her father in a federal prison.
Families submit an application with an inmate ID and child information. We verify eligibility and confirm the father is currently incarcerated.
We pay the daycare center directly. No vouchers, no reimbursements, no bureaucracy. Money goes straight to the provider.
Mom keeps her job. Kids stay in a safe environment. Dad knows his family is taken care of. Everyone wins.
Stable childcare reduces exposure to trauma, supports developmental milestones, and builds the foundation every kid deserves. Parental incarceration is an adverse childhood experience. Stability is the antidote.
A family of 4 in San Diego needs $107,000+ to afford childcare out of pocket. Without daycare, moms lose jobs, lose housing, lose everything. We keep that from happening.
Incarcerated fathers who stay connected to their children are significantly less likely to reoffend. Daddies At Work gives them a way to contribute, even from inside.
Every dollar spent on prevention saves the system money downstream. Stable kids. Employed parents. Lower recidivism. The math works for everyone.
Daddies At Work was born inside a federal prison by a father who couldn't be there for his daughter. Now it exists so that no child has to wonder where Daddy went, and no mother has to choose between her job and her child's safety.
Pilot Program / San Diego, California