End Adoption Trafficking
The sky has
a name.
She was placed for adoption without her father’s consent. He got her back because he had registered. Now this foundation makes sure no father learns about that form too late.
Aiken, SC · February 2014
Eighteen days.
On February 4, 2014, Christopher Emanuel put his name on the South Carolina Responsible Father Registry. His daughter was born on February 11. On February 22, a private investigator served him at his home in Aiken: she had been placed for adoption, and she was already in California. Because he had registered, he had the standing to fight. He won her back — and founded this organization so that no father would learn about that form too late.
Registered
February 4, 2014
Daughter born
February 11, 2014
Served notice
February 22, 2014
The mantra
“No Deadbeats.”
The stereotype outweighs the narrative. There are responsible, capable, willing fathers who are engaged in their children’s lives and thwarted anyway. This foundation exists to change that.
What we do
Educate. Empower. Equip.
Registry Assistance
Guidance for unwed responsible fathers navigating parental rights, and the biases, structural impediments and stigmas that stand in the way.
Fathers
Adoption Trafficking Prevention Education
An evidence-based curriculum to prevent adoption trafficking and help identify problematic situations.
Parents, social workers, lawyers, judges, universities and agencies
Professional Development
High-impact CE/CLE training designed for youth- and family-serving professionals, built on strengths-based strategies, mental health awareness and cognitive reframing.
Educators and practitioners
R.I.S.E.
Raising Innovation through Skills & Empowerment
A community-driven workforce development initiative providing real-world skills, career readiness tools, and mentorship opportunities.
Youth and parents
STEM Week
Safe spaces through STEM/STEAM education — robotics, coding, engineering, environmental science, art and design — emphasizing creativity, critical thinking and problem solving.
Grades 3–12
The Father Registry directory
30 states run a putative father registry. Almost no father knows his does.
A searchable directory of every state’s registry — the agency, the address, the fee, and the link to file. It is the difference Christopher had and most fathers never hear about.
Open the directoryTrue To Your S.O.L.E. · Youth
STEM camp is back in Aiken this summer.
Free
Grades 3–8
July 13–17, 2026
Second Baptist Church of Aiken, 1151 York St
$75
High school
July 13–17, 2026
Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, 427 Scholar Loop
Free — limited slots
Workforce Connection STEM Industry Day
July 8, 2026
SRNL Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative, 4345 Trolley Line Road
Press
The story has been told by serious rooms.
- The AtlanticA Father's Struggle to Stop His Daughter's Adoption2015-07-07
- ABC News / NightlineA Father's Fight to Win Back His Daughter Secretly Put Up for Adoption2015-09-15
- The New York TimesSingle Fathers Should Get Notice About Adoptions2014-06-13
- WIS-TVSC father working to educate others about Responsible Father Registry2019-07-30
- Post and Courier12 Black Leaders to Know: Christopher Emanuel2022-02-13
Give
Stand with the fathers nobody expects to show up.
Your gift funds registry education, father coaching, and the STEM camp that sends Aiken kids toward something bigger.
Donate via GivelifyNext up: Grades 3–8 — July 13–17, 2026