Mark Eiginger is a Fatherhood Champion.
As a volunteer at First Coast Women’s Services in Jacksonville, Florida, Eiginger leads a team of more than 50 men serving the pregnancy center’s three locations, working with expectant and new fathers to help them become better parents.
Known as Fatherhood Champions, these volunteers ensure that every man who walks through the doors of the pregnancy center receives the same care, encouragement and support as expectant mothers.
“Instead of sitting in the lobby, alone in his chaos, he can meet with another guy and work through the difficult decision he has in front of him,” said Jarid Mayo, Care Net’s Senior Manager of Fatherhood and Family. “It’s so important for the life of the baby, but also the well-being of the father and the entire family that he receives the same services that mom receives. We see fewer abortions and more decisions for Christ when a Fatherhood Champion is in the building to meet with our male clients.”
Cultural messaging has long framed pregnancy as primarily a woman’s issue, often leaving fathers on the sidelines. However, Care Net’s research indicates that fathers can have a significant influence on a woman’s pregnancy decision, making it critical to engage them early with encouragement and practical support.
The work being done by Eiginger and other men reflects a growing emphasis within Care Net to engage fathers alongside mothers during unexpected pregnancies. On a recent episode of The Noble Man podcast, Mayo, Care Net’s Senior Manager of Fatherhood and Family, and Jill Marquis, Care Net’s Director of Abortion Recovery and Care, discussed why pregnancy centers and local churches have a critical role in reaching men, strengthening families, discipling fathers and extending hope and healing to those affected by past abortions.
On the podcast, Mayo emphasized the need for more Fatherhood Champions and stronger partnerships with local churches to mentor men facing unexpected pregnancies.
“Once a woman has walked through the decision process at a pregnancy center, the center needs to have the confidence in its churches to hand the mother and father off for discipleship,” Mayo said. “The job of the pregnancy center is to serve the next abortion-determined woman or man walking through the door. The job of the church is to make fully devoted followers of Christ.”
That partnership, Mayo said, allows pregnancy centers to meet immediate needs while churches continue walking alongside parents long after the crisis has passed. By raising up more Fatherhood Champions and strengthening relationships with local congregations, Care Net hopes to reach men earlier, disciple entire families and continue advancing its Pro Abundant Life vision in communities across the country.
Jill Marquis said recent data revealed that the tide is turning when it comes to reaching men.
“We have seen a real uptick in the number of people, women and men, who are coming to parenting classes at pregnancy centers,” she said. “We have also seen a huge uptick in the number of men who are taking advantage of the services at the pregnancy center when they come with their partner.”
Even so, Marquis said pregnancy centers still need more Christian men willing to mentor expectant fathers.
“While Jarid and the Fatherhood team are helping to equip the men in the pregnancy centers, they need guys who are walking with the Lord to come in and say, ‘Yes. I will help teach a class on how to change a baby.’ That’s where the church is missing. We have a fatherless epidemic in this country.”
Care Net equips pregnancy centers with a collection of resources designed specifically for fathers. Its flagship Doctor Dad® program provides practical, Gospel-centered instruction for expectant and new dads, covering everything from supporting a pregnant partner to infant health, safety and parenting. The organization also provides coaching for pregnancy centers building men’s ministries and offers Reclaiming Fatherhood, a recovery resource for men impacted by abortion.
As Care Net continues to strengthen partnerships with local churches, the organization hopes more communities will follow the example set by First Coast Women’s Services, where Fatherhood Champions ensure that no father has to face an unexpected pregnancy alone.
“Mark Eiginger has a team that covers every hour that the pregnancy center is open,” Mayo said. “There’s never a time when a man might show up and have no one to speak life to him.”