Our Story

I’m Zack Shepherd—a 22-year-old college student at Southern Utah University—and no, I’m not a dad! I’m just a student studying business & political science with a strong desire to make an impact.

I grew up in Mesa, Arizona, with incredible friends and family. I had many positive examples and influences throughout my life which helped shape me into who I am today. Growing up, I always knew what a great dad was like. My dad, Steve Shepherd, was a dedicated and loving father who was always willing to do the most for his kids.

As a young man, my dad would tell me about his own upbringing, which could not have been more different from mine. You see, my dad grew up with an abusive father who was largely absent from his children’s lives. He recalls nights when his dad would come home drunk and would abuse him, his siblings, and his wife. Each time that would happen, my dad would dream of breaking the chain of abuse by being a good dad one day to his own children. I can attest that he has achieved that dream.

Sports have always been an integral part of my life, having taught me many life lessons. Throughout my years of being an athlete, I’ve been able to get to know people from different types of backgrounds, circumstances, and situations. When I was in high school, I began to see the profound impact fathers had on my teammates. I always knew that being a dad was one of my biggest life goals. But for my teammates, being a dad one day was never something they had in mind.

I lived in Italy for a couple of years while serving a mission for my church. While I was there, I had the chance to meet with Jimmer Fredette, one of the best college basketball players of all time. He talked to a large group of us missionaries and mentioned his nonprofit organization. Jimmer’s presentation inspired me to start my own nonprofit organization. Having seen the negative impacts of fatherlessness in my own community, I was determined to start a nonprofit to promote fatherhood. And that’s how Fatherhood Initiative was born.

Building a culture of fatherhood is a herculean task. I need your help. Together, we can create better families and communities as we each take a small part in this cause. Learn about our mission statement and what we hope to do by clicking the link below.