According to the 2010 Census, of the 168,000 children living in Memphis, nearly 67,000 — about 4 in 10 — are living in a family with a female householder and NO FATHER PRESENT.

Later this month, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton will host the Second Annual Memphis Training Camp for Dads. (Wharton is writing a guest column about the issue that will run with your response.)

From your perspective, how big is this problem? How do you see if effecting your congregation, your community, the culture at large? What can/should be done about it?

There are many brave and wonderful mothers, grandmothers and other women who are bearing more than their share of the load in rearing families.

I applaud Mayor Wharton for tackling this complex problem. Positive male presence and leadership are desperately needed. One of the underlying pieces of the puzzle, employment with a living wage, needs to be included in an overall strategy that public and
private sectors can embrace.