Meet James Simmons

James Simmons’ success story begins on March 22, 2021, when he entered the Anderson office of Upstate Fatherhood Coalition. James came to UFC voluntarily seeking help with becoming a better father and obtaining employment.

During enrollment, Mr. Simmons explain that he and the mother of his child used to be best friends and talked every day. Their relationship became stressed, though, when she began seeing someone else. Soon she had a child with her new love interest and the new family, including James' daughter, moved to North Carolina. James was deeply hurt.
Although he missed his daughter, it was too difficult to try to co-parent with the mother of his child. She took his daughter; and, to him, she did not exist. It felt like insult to injury to pay child support for a daughter he could no longer see. However, he knew his responsibility and came to UFC for help getting his life back on track.

With guidance from the staff, Mr. Simmons enrolled in Job Boot Camp. He completed the course and won a scholarship to Tri-County Tech’s Manufacturing Skills Certification Training. James faithfully attended the six-week training and earned a Certificate of Completion on June 9, 2021! He pursued interviews during and after the training and landed a job as a Forklift Driver with Commerce Warehouse. With this new job, Mr. Simmons consistently pays his child support.

He has a whole new outlook on life.

For this, Mr. Simmons credits the conversations with his Intervention Specialist about letting go of the hurt and focusing on the needs of his daughter. He intentionally began mending the relationship with the mother of his child; and, he now communicates with her via text and phone conversations without any resentment.

James sees his daughter every other weekend and even enjoys taking her shopping. Simmons used UFC’s group sessions on Healthy Relationship and on Parenting as motivation and the therapy he needed to leave the past behind and focus on what is most important – building a meaningful relationship with his daughter.