Second annual Dad Stroll draws Genesee County fathers to Flint's Mott Park

The second annual Dad Stroll stepped off Saturday morning, October 3, at the Mott Park Clubhouse at 2401 Nolen Drive in Flint. But the real news is that it came back at all: the first stroll ran in 2025, and a second year turns a single Saturday into something recurring.

The morning ran from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the walk itself stepping off at 10, and families were told to wear comfortable shoes and bring lawn chairs or blankets. It was free and open to all ages — fathers, father figures, children, families, and other community members.

More than a walk

Along the route, families found games, a father-and-child free-throw contest, light refreshments, prizes, and giveaways — and, more importantly, the chance to come face-to-face with local organizations and vendors, connecting to health and parenting support in one place rather than tracking it down one door at a time.

Shon Y. Hart, executive director and founder of InvolvedDad, said the stroll is about showing fathers they are not on their own: "Fatherhood revolves around presence, connection, and being there. The Dad Stroll offers fathers and father figures a chance to intentionally spend time with their children while recognizing they are part of a broader community of dads committed to their families."

A network that's sticking

This year the stroll was put on jointly by InvolvedDad, Genesee Healthy Start, and the Genesee County Fatherhood Collaborative, with support from the Genesee County Health Department, Molina Healthcare, and other community partners.

Behind them stands the Genesee County Fatherhood Collaborative, a partnership built to encourage fathers and father figures to take active, healthy roles in their children's lives.

The help outlasts the afternoon

For a father who wants support after the tables are packed up, the organizations remain in Flint. InvolvedDad, a Flint-based nonprofit founded in 2015, offers fatherhood education, trauma-informed coaching, peer support, supervised visitation, co-parenting help, assistance with child support and the legal system, employment support, and youth programming — all free to participants. It is at 1172 Robert T. Longway Blvd. and can be reached at 313-757-1388 or [email protected].

Genesee Healthy Start runs a Fatherhood Program for fathers connected to families enrolled in Healthy Start, with parent education, home visits, prenatal and infant-health involvement, and referrals to health and social services. The program can be reached at 810-257-3843; general Healthy Start services are at 810-257-3619.

Anyone who heard about the stroll after it happened can still call the event information line at 810-341-5918.