Vision
How we see it
We envision a world where fathers are empowered to lead, families grow stronger, and communities thrive. Through active engagement, mentorship, and support, we foster lasting connections while championing health and wellness initiatives—including organ donation awareness —to save and transform lives. ”
history
Who we are
I Am a Father 5k, Inc. is an active 501c(3) non-profit organization with a functioning board of directors since 2015.
I Am a Father Initiatives are designed to engage, enhance and empower men to be their BEST selves in an effort to Strengthen Families One Mile At a Time.
PARTNERS
where we connect
Collectively, along with our partners and event sponsors, over the last decade we have empowered hundreds through wellness initiatives for impact in various aspects of development at every age; hosted thousands of participants annually at our 5k; signed up hundreds to be organ donors, while bridging gaps in awareness to eye, organ and tissue donation in minority communities.
Our Key Pillars
Fatherhood + FAMILY
We believe a Family should have at its core a balanced structure; a foundation where the Father and Mother each have the core competencies and abilities to meet the needs of our current environment. All of our initiatives are based on this principle for targeted outcomes.
FAITH + FITNESS
We believe every Father should be anchored with a sure-footed foundation. Two pillars apply here in our core strategy, Faith and Fitness to equip the whole man in Mind, Body and Soul. We host several activities throughout the year where fathers and their families can get involved.
FINANCE
We believe, in order to thrive, every family must be empowered with knowledge and key financial resources for success. Understanding this, we collaborate with community partners, like YOU to achieve attainable goals to sustain communities as well as the individual.
About our founder
While working in Atlanta as a public school teacher, David Manuel became painfully aware of the lack of male parental guidance for the inner-city children. Realizing the need for encouragement and engagement in the role of Father and mentor, he determined to be a bridge to bring about a more enriching classroom environment for his students.
Fast forward a few years, the now father of two, arts advocate and community activist authored and self-published the highly celebrated book ‘I Am A Father, Celebrating African-American Fathers. Highlighting the rarely seen truths in the media, regarding a very up close and personal look at black fatherhood and the relationships with their children, the book is both inspirational and educational. “You constantly hear that Black men abandon their family; they don’t pay child support, they are abusive or are in jail. Although some of this is true, I want to celebrate the fathers for their loving and powerful relationships.”
The book laid the groundwork for the I Am a Father Initiative that has developed into a quarterly forum with an amazingly powerful panel of community leaders and key influencers called the I AM Series: Faith, Fatherhood, and Family. Continuing the mission: the initiatives included reading and mentorship programs and an annual fitness event, the “I Am a Father 5k”. Co-founded by David along with his wife, Karren in 2015, I Am a Father 5k, Inc. has a goal to “Strengthen Families One Mile at a Time” with health and wellness screenings, vendors, community business partners, entertainment and hundreds of participants. I Am a Father 5k, Inc. is not only strengthening families but is a catalyst uniting community male-focused organizations to grow sustainable and strong families for a better community, city and country.