CLEVELAND — The Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative hosted its 18th annual fatherhood walk on Thursday. Raheem Stover, a father of 8-year-old Autumn, said he picks his daughter up most days and drives her to school.

What You Need To Know

  • The Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative hosted the 18th annual fatherhood walk

  • The Fatherhood Initiative helps fathers play a bigger role in their children's life

  • They have programs such as new father bootcamps and education-based programming

“Just like breakfast in the morning, most important meal of the day, it should be the same thing for your child just walking them off and getting them to school,” he said.

Stover originally was inspired to begin doing this because of the fatherhood walk. The fatherhood initiative is based on supporting fathers and helping them play a bigger and better role in their child’s life. Director of the Cuyahoga County Father initiative, Al Grimes, explained what the initiative is.

“Our fatherhood initiative, we always emphasize the importance of fathers being involved in their children’s lives,” he said.

Stover said for him, it’s the small moments with his daughter each morning that help build their relationship.

“I think the key thing is just that quality time, that small smidge of time in the morning which could start her day off better, could start my day off better,” he said.

Stover’s daughter, Autumn, said spending time with her dad each morning makes her happy.