Chicago pastor Corey Brooks, who runs the Project H.O.O.D. community center on the South Side, says the nation’s welfare programs have done more harm than good for Black families. Citing historical census data, Brooks points out that in 1960 only 22% of Black children lived in single‑parent homes, a figure that has more than tripled after three decades of federal, state and city assistance programs.
Welfare Policies vs. Family Stability
Brooks references the work of scholars Thomas Sowell and Shelby Steele, both of the Hoover Institution, who argue that the post‑1960 “War on Poverty” shifted public policy from equal‑opportunity law to race‑based remedies. He contends that this shift created a permanent system of dependency, treating a race as a special class rather than empowering individuals.
According to Brooks, the incentive structure of many assistance programs rewards single‑parent households. “When a woman receives more aid for having children without a husband than for having a husband, the result is more children raised without fathers,” he writes. He says this dynamic has contributed to the rise of fatherlessness, gang involvement, and community violence on the South Side.
Local Impact and Personal Experience
Brooks draws on his own experience working in Chicago neighborhoods where roughly 80% of households are headed by a single parent. He praises the strength of single mothers but argues that without a supportive father figure, families struggle to achieve financial independence.
Through Project H.O.O.D., Brooks’ team helps residents transition from government checks to earned wages. The center offers trade training, such as electrician apprenticeships, and mentors young men on the responsibilities of marriage and fatherhood. “We see real change when a mother completes electrician training and lands a steady job, or when a young man decides not to abandon his child,” Brooks says.
Faith, Work, and Personal Responsibility
Brooks emphasizes that rebuilding families requires more than policy tweaks; it demands a return to Christian values, hard work, and personal responsibility. He notes that the community’s faith in God remains strong, and that spiritual guidance plays a vital role in encouraging men to become husbands and fathers.
While acknowledging that slavery and segregation inflicted deep wounds, Brooks argues that the most recent and damaging blow came from well‑intentioned but misguided welfare programs. He calls for a shift away from policies that “reward the very breakdown they claim to address” toward initiatives that empower individuals to earn a living and support their families.
Looking Ahead
Brooks urges policymakers at all levels to reconsider how assistance programs are structured, suggesting that reforms should focus on job creation, trade education, and strengthening the nuclear family. He believes that when families are equipped with faith, work ethic, and personal responsibility, they can overcome the legacy of dependency and thrive.
“God still cares about the family. He still cares about fathers,” Brooks concludes, reaffirming his belief that the South Side’s future rests in the hands of its people, not in perpetual government handouts.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
