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
