When people hear “Jeff Ford, CEO of a nonprofit,” they might imagine a guy who was born ready to lead—a natural visionary with a clear plan from the start. Truth is, nothing could be further from reality. If anything, I was what you’d call a reluctant leader. I didn’t chase leadership roles, I didn’t crave the spotlight, and I certainly didn’t think I’d end up running an organization like Man Up and Go.

From Jeff Ford: I’ve seen a lot in my years working to fight fatherlessness. From small church basements to state capitols, I’ve watched communities rise up and take ownership of a problem too big for one person, one program, or even one organization to solve alone. But what just happened in Ohio? That’s a game-changer.

When I think about discipleship, I think about those Thursday mornings at 6 AM in Florida, sitting across from a man who poured into me for a year. He told me to read Isaiah—three or four chapters at a time—and every week, I showed up completely confused.

"Are you going to tell me what I just read?" I’d ask.

There are certain moments in life when you realize you’re part of something much bigger than yourself. One of those moments for me came in 2021 when I was invited to the Florida Capitol by Speaker Chris Sprowls. I stood outside at the podium with 40 legislators, speaking about the importance of fatherhood and the work Man Up and Go was doing to support it. And then, right after that, they went inside and voted unanimously—117 to 0—to pass House Bill 7065.