Halbert Sullivan

Halbert Sullivan was the founder, president, and CEO of Fathers and Families Support Center (FFSC, formerly the Fathers’ Support Center), which was launched in 1997 with the aim of promoting responsible and involved fatherhood and fostering healthy relationships by strengthening families and communities. FFSC started as a small service agency dedicated to helping transform fathers disengaged from their children into nurturing parents ready to support their children. It has grown into a comprehensive service agency with 55 full-time employees, having reached 16,000 fathers and made a difference for over 40,000 children to date.

Halbert earned a bachelor’s degree from Fontbonne University and a Master of Social Work from the Brown School at Washington University. In addition to his work with FFSC, Halbert was involved in decreasing the recidivism rates for people who were previously incarcerated, helping to provide jobs to over 800 returning citizens over the past seven years.

Halbert was actively involved with community organizations like Manasseh Ministries, Man of Valor, and Fathers United To Raise Awareness (FUTRA). Through Manasseh Ministries, Halbert worked with children of incarcerated parents, providing scholarships, necessities, and mentorship, and facilitating transportation for visitation to their parents with the goal of promoting easier family reunification. In his work with Man of Valor, Halbert recruited mentors to work with youth in the University City High School. With FUTRA, he advocated for laws and policy change that affect families in Missouri. He served as the primary investigator or co-investigator on several research projects related to families, parenting, and community. He also worked on the Parents and Children Together Reach Project conducted by Mathematica Policy Research in Washington, D.C.

Halbert has been widely recognized for his dedicated service, including awards from the NAACP, the Missouri Association for Social Welfare, and the Governor of Missouri, among numerous other organizations. Chester A. Deanes, Jr., retired FFSC Vice President of Community Outreach, sums, “Halbert’s intense passion, with empathy to serve children, parents and families, are driving forces of FFSC’s success. As a leader, his spirit and contagious personality encourages the FFSC staff to excel in their tasks while serving parents and children.”

Halbert Sullivan passed away on Thursday, April 15, 2021. Read more about his life here.