Are You Ready For PATROS?

For the past year, Man Up has been developing a video-based discipleship resource for men in the church. Imagine a church where the men are discipled to work unto the Lord, reconcile with their enemies, preach the Gospel, be godly fathers and husbands, all while fighting for the fatherless?  What if there was a word that encapsulated healthy masculinity and the impact men make on to the generations after them? What if that word was used frequently in the Bible? Good news! There is a word, and the word is PATROS. 

PATROS, the Greek word for “father,” is a digital resource that chronicles the journey of one young man on fire for Jesus as he interviews higher profile brothers in Christ on what it means to be a biblical man. ​

From pastors to politicians, championship coaches, and a Christian hip-hop artist, these stories both inspire and challenge us to not only think more biblically, but to move us to act on behalf of the world’s fatherless.

Ultimately we want men who use this PATROS resource to see why God’s Scriptural mandate to “Defend the fatherless” (Isaiah 1:17) is something we can no longer ignore.

Then we want you to DO something about it.  ​

-The Man Up Team

RAGBRAI 2023 BEGINS!

Every year in July a Man Up and Go team gathers together in western Iowa to embark on a week long journey called RAGBRAI.  The team will start on Sunday, July 23 in Sioux City, Iowa and end up in Davenport, Iowa on Saturday, July 29.  This year’s RAGBRAI event is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary.  Man Up and Go will be riding as a team for it’s 9th year.​

 
The team this year consists of five guys from the Tampa, FL area and 4 guys from the Springfield, MO area.  They are gathering together for the purpose of sharing the mission of Man Up and Go.  As the team is riding through small towns, serving people along the way, and enjoying the festivities they are talking about the “Fight for the Fatherless”.

The “Fight for the Fatherless” looks different for everyone.  For some it means stepping up in your own home to be a better father and for others it’s serving as a mentor to a foster youth.  Whatever role you are playing, please know that God smiles down on the genuine efforts we put into breaking the cycle of generational fatherlessness.​​

So as the team is riding across the state of Iowa in an effort to raise awareness of fatherlessness please take a moment to say a prayer for them.  Not only pray for them but ask the Lord what He would have you do.  Isaiah 1:17 implores us to “defend the cause of the orphans”.  So what are you doing to fight for the fatherless?​

Join us on all of our social media platforms to follow the journey of our team.  We will be posting videos and pictures to highlight what’s happening throughout the week.

-The Man Up RAGBRAI team

AMP’d Update

It’s been two years since we launched our domestic Authentic Masculinity Program aimed at coaching and mentoring young men impacted by fatherlessness. 

Statistics show that a young man who ages out of foster care will cost taxpayers over $300,000 in social programs over the course of his lifetime. Our goal is to reduce that trend by engaging these young men with Coaches who often provide the only meaningful, stable relationship they have. ​

This past year we worked with over 40 young men, placing an emphasis in helping them establish stability in five major areas: 

  • Housing 
  • Behavior not leading to incarceration
  • Employment and/or education
  • Mental Health
  • Substance abuse 

We are thrilled to report that we have saved taxpayers over 2.1 million dollars in costs avoided by building relationships with these young men, coaching them in the areas above, modeling healthy masculinity, and connecting them to resources. 

More importantly, we have been able to share the hope of the Gospel with many of these young men who invite us into their lives. 

One of the young men that we serve has his own family. He is a father of 3 children and was struggling to gain employment. With hard work and determination, he secured a steady employment opportunity, giving him a sense of purpose and financial independence.The progress this young man has made is a testament to the transformative power of mentorship and the commitment each of our coaches has shown to his well-being. The dedication has empowered him to break free from the cycle of homelessness, substance abuse, and incarceration, and has opened doors to a future filled with possibilities.

You may be asking how you can help? If you currently live in the greater Tampa Bay or SW Missouri areas, then check out our Man Up 100 cohorts. They are a great way to fight for the fatherless in your area. These cohorts are made up of men who give of their time, talents and treasure, in order to impact the families we serve.

If you live somewhere else, we have an exciting digital resource that will be available this Fall called Patros. In the original greek, Patros meant fathers or those who pass down legacy. Our Patros video-based tool will provide churches with the resources needed for training their men to live out their biblical masculinity by fighting for the fatherless. You will get to listen to influential men of God as they walk through different aspects of being a Patros. To ensure Patros is utilized by your church, please contact our CEO, Jeff Ford, via email: jford@manupandgo.org

Finally, all of this takes your financial support. You can give to Patros by going here:

Thank you again for your faithfulness!

​-The Man Up Team​​

Strong Families Florida Tax Credit

I am writing to inform you of an extremely time-sensitive opportunity for you as a business owner to dramatically help Man Up and Go. Man Up’s vision is to see a Father for every child. We mobilize men to provide support services for foster families and coaching/mentoring for those in foster care system who have been impacted by fatherlessness locally and we have international programs to fight for the fatherless globally..

In 2021 the Florida legislature enacted the Strong Families Tax Credit, under which taxpayers can make private monetary contributions to a designated charitable organization and receive a dollar-for-dollar credit against corporate income taxes and insurance premium taxes, among others. In other words, you can donate to a qualified charity instead of giving that money to the government.​

There are only a handful of eligible charities who have been through the process to receive these donations and Man Up and Go is one of them:

We are writing to you because we just learned that the legislature has opened up $10 million in allocations on a “first-come, first-serve” basis beginning at 12:00 AM, July 1, 2023, at the start of the new State Fiscal Year. However for Man Up and Go to benefit from this amazing opportunity, you will need to “reserve” your tax credit allocation.

This is very important – once the $10 million has been reserved, the opportunity is gone. In January of this year, 12 million dollars was reserved by eligible corporations in less than 7 days. Time is of the essence to reserve your allocation on behalf of Man Up and Go. We are happy to walk you through the steps to set up your corporation so that when July 1 comes, you can quickly submit your application for this amazing dollar-for-dollar credit benefitting Man Up and Go and its program recipients.

Additionally, we would encourage you to send this document to your CPA for their review. 

​The first thing you will need to do is to set up an account (if you don’t already have one) with the Florida Department of Revenue.

Man Up and Go • 2126 Blue Beech Ct • Trinity, FL 34655​

On July 1, you will login to your account and take the following actions:

• Click on the Florida Multi Tax Credits application.

• Choose the Strong Families Tax Credit allocation.

• Choose Man Up and Go as the recipient.

• Estimate how much in Corporate Tax you’d like to reserve to allocate to Man Up and Go instead of the State of Florida.

Again, we can’t stress enough the importance of doing this on July 1 or very shortly thereafter. Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation number. You then have until you file your taxes in 2024 (for the year 2023) to make your monetary donation to Man Up and Go. At that time they will provide you with a receipt, which you will provide to your accountant for the credit. 

If you have more questions about the program, please feel free to contact Jennifer Ensley at the Florida Dept of Revenue at 850.717.7659.

If you have any questions about Man Up and Go, you may reach out to their CEO, Jeff Ford, at 727.247.3525, or at jford@manupandgo.org.

Thank you for your consideration in this important matter.

STRONGER

If you have been waiting for the perfect moment to get engaged in the fight for the fatherless, NOW is the time! 

The need for men to “Man Up” and support those impacted by fatherlessness has NEVER been Stronger. ​​

Our government is looking for answers to the lack of father engagement in our communities and they are coming to US for leadership. 

This is exactly why we launched the campaign for Stronger Fathers, Stronger Families, and Stronger Futures.

We would love for you to watch the video above, read the Stronger pamphlet here, pray about what God would have you do, and give your best financial gift by June 30, 2023.

You can play a MAJOR role in our God-sized vision quest to break the chains of generational fatherlessness.

And between now and June 30, 2023, when you give a financial gift of any amount HERE, just type STRONGER into the comment section and we will send you a free T-shirt.​​​​

Golf Tournament @ Cypress Run

Join us on Monday, May 15th at Cypress Run Golf Club in Tarpon Springs to raise money to “fight for families” in Tampa Bay. Ignite Academy and Man Up and Go are both organizations that support families and children. Ignite Academy is a private Christian school currently serving K-6th grader learners with an emphasis on health and building community. Man Up and Go mobilizes men to fight for the fatherless by serving local foster and adoptive children and parents.

GOLFERS

  • Individual $175
  • Foursome $700

HOLE SPONSORS $250

  • Company Logo on tee box signage

SILVER SPONSORS $1500

  • Company Logo on tee box signage
  • 1 Foursome for golf
  • Marketing material in golfers’ bags
  • Recognition on social media

GOLD SPONSORS $3000

  • Company Logo signage on 2 tee boxes
  • 1 Foursome for golf
  • Marketing material in golfers’ bags
  • Recognition on social media
  • Logo on Event Banner
  • Featured in email blast to 5,000 local emails

PLATINUM SPONSORS $5000

  • Company Logo signage on 2 tee boxes (at one of the competition holes)
  • 2 Foursomes for golf
  • Marketing material in golfers’ bags
  • Recognition on social media
  • Logo on Event Banner and on golf bags
  • Your business video included in email blast to 5,000 local emails
  • Opportunity to speak from stage at lunch

RAGBRAI 2023

Every year a group of Man Up and Go cyclists take on the infamous RAGBRAI, while representing the mission of Man Up and Go. RAGBRAI is an annual seven-day bicycle ride across the state of Iowa. RAGBRAI is also the oldest, largest, and longest multi-day recreational bicycle touring event in the world! This is the perfect place for our team to wear their Man Up gear while also riding alongside thousands of cycling enthusiasts. Our team rides to raise awareness of the need to fight for the fatherless.

If you’d like to see a quick overview of the guys riding and having some great food, click the video below! 

As we prepare to take on RAGBRAI 2023, we want to extend the invitation to you. We would love to have you join us! This year’s trip is July 21 – July 29. If you or someone you know would enjoy riding across IOWA while also championing the mission of Man Up and Go, then please reach out to admin@manupandgo.org

-The Man Up Team

Man Up and Go Super Bowl Squares Game

 Are you ready to win?!

The Super Bowl is right around the corner and regardless of whether or not you like football, it’s a great excuse to support the work God is doing through Man Up and Go!

Playing is simple:

1. Go to the Man Up and Go Super Bowl Squares Game link HERE:

2. Pick how many chances you want to win on the 10 x 10 grid.

3. Before the start of the game, the Philadelphia Eagles row and the Kansas City Chiefs column will be randomly assigned with numbers 0-9. Once the football game starts, the game is locked and your numbers will be revealed.

4. The score of each team at the end of each quarter determines the winner of that quarter. If the last digit of the score of one team matches the row number and the last digit of the score of the other team matches the column number, the person who has that square wins the prize for that quarter. One person may win more than one quarter.

For instance, at the end of the first quarter, if the score is Chiefs – 14, Eagles – 10, then the winner would be the person who had the square where the Chiefs had a 4 in their column and the Eagles had a 0 in their row.

5. Each square is $25. You may pick as many as you’d like. Once you pick your squares go to our website and make your donation for the corresponding amount here:https://www.aplos.com/aws/give/ManUpandGo1/general. (Choose “General Ministry Donation” from the dropdown menu.)

**NOTE** Your payments are NOT tax-deductible since you have the opportunity to win in return. However, your “gift” will go to help Man Up fight for the fatherless!

If you have any questions about the Man Up and Go Super Bowl Squares Game , please email us: admin@manupandgo.org.

Stronger

Stronger

As 2022 comes to a close, we hope you’ll take a minute to see the impact of families who have been made STRONGER this past year because of your service, your giving, and your prayers.

Man Up and Go is making a special push between now and June 30, 2023, to see all of our constituents— the foster families and foster children we serve, the young men aging out of foster care we disciple, and the biological fathers we support— made STRONGER over the next 18 months. ​​​

As you look at their pictures and read their stories, our prayer is that you will consider a special year end gift to help us all see STRONGER communities as we fight for the fatherless together in 2023!​​​​

“THANK YOU! Thank you! Thank you! This group of guys cranked out our new play set and trampoline in 5 hours this morning! We are beyond grateful! It was a great morning with a wonderful group of guys and young men!” 

“Thanks so much for the wonderful event at Keystone Ranch! All our kids loved it, and our foster son asked all the way home when the next one would be…can we go every time, “there will be another one and we can go again,” etc… Never have seen him this excited to go back somewhere!”

“Omgosh. That Christmas gift was a literal blessing. Thank you so much! We are blown away by the kindness everyone has showed us and the love and support we feel. Please tell everyone thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
This is really going to help with added expenses this newest case is bringing with it.
I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!”

“My family would like to send a huge thank you!!! We attended our first Man Up event as a foster family and the memories made were endless.  A huge goal was met by our 9 yr old foster, B. He loves ducks and has always wanted to hold one and was so excited that his dream came true.  Thank you for everything you do.  A lot of these sweet kids miss out on so much that people take for granted.  Organizations like yours allow us foster parents to give them those moments that make them only focus on being a kid, that is huge!!!!! I have some amazing pictures of our kiddos holding the duck and chickens I would love to share with your volunteers so they can see the joy in their eyes.  Lastly, it was our now 3yr olds actual birthday and he felt like it was all “his party”!We appreciate you all so much!”

Thank you again for making your year-end gift to help us fighting for the fatherless – as always, we are praying God’s richest blessings upon you and your family this Christmas season.​​​

Remember, the best is yet to come! ​

Jeff Ford, CEO

Football Fling 2022!

Football Fling 2022!

At Man Up And Go’s 6th Annual Football Fling, we raised well over the $100,000 goal we had set. (By comparison, the most we had raised at this event in the past was $47,000.) I encourage you to watch this video and check out all the fun we had! (Click the photo below to watch video.)

Not only did we have a record-setting night of giving, a long-time Champion gave an additional $100,000 one-time gift to help propel the organization forward in a unique way. The Lord is opening up doors of opportunity right now and your giving is enabling us to walk through them. 


Why do I mention this? What is the significance, especially if you live in areas where Man Up has yet to launch a local Cohort?

Because right now in the state of Florida, state and local government agencies in charge of child welfare are recognizing what Man Up has been trumpeting for the last 10 years, that fatherlessness negatively impacts a child’s ability to thrive. They passed groundbreaking legislation this year to the tune of 70 million dollars to start addressing it.

Regardless of where you live, the awakening happening within the Florida legislature represents an awakening that is happening across the country. We have an opportunity to bring God’s view on masculinity into environments that are otherwise unavailable to us. Moreover, your giving enables us to provide specific programming that state dollars won’t.

Because of your giving, we have been able to partner with the State to see:
2236 individual support services provided to foster families resulting in 100% retention rate over the last 12 months
– Over 1600 hours volunteered by Man Up 100 Cohort members
– Over 800 hours spent mentoring aged-out foster male youth, resulting in a 75% increase in stable housing, a 73% increase in employment/school, and a 92% decrease in police/criminal interactions

By God’s grace, He has also positioned us to pilot a mentoring initiative for biological fathers to help them safely reunify with their children.

What God is allowing Man Up and Go to build in Florida can be replicated all over the United States– Cohorts of godly men fighting side by side for foster children, foster families, male youth aging out of care, and biological fathers who just need a little support. 

Together, we are breaking the chains of generational fatherlessness. We truly believe the best is yet to come, and we can’t thank you enough for walking with us in this journey!

Regards,

Jeff Ford, CEO