Ending Emotional, Financial, and Physical Fatherlessness in Memphis
What's going on?
In Memphis, we have many programs that address the needs of women, such as job readiness training, clothing, daycare and so on, but there are no such programs for men. We have dropout prevention programs for teen males, and we
have re-entry programs for men once they've been to prison. However, we do not have a program tailored to serve men between the ages of 20-50 who have lost their way, due to generational malelessness, emotional detachment to his family, and unrealistic ideals
of manhood.
The Dapper Dan Society aims to serve families, by starting with what should be the top! With so many males becoming fathers at a young age, they often don't make positive parenting decisions because they themselves are repeating
their fatherless childhood. They may not know how to assert themselves in relationships nor make sound decisions for their families. Most don't have an interest in or they lack leadership building skills. Lacking male role models who show an interest in the
value of education, these men tend to repeat the pattern of low expectations for themselves.
If we as community members don't address these problems, children will continue to suffer at the hands of immature and unprepared parents. So will the communities, cities, states that surround them!
Why we want to change it!
Emotional, Financial and Physical fatherlessness affects over 44,000 households in Memphis. This epidemic has a direct impact on crime, educational completion rates, and generational poverty. Supporting a non-productive male between
the ages of 25-67 in Tennessee costs over $26,000 annually, if spending is not redirected into repositioning programs. Subsequently, in just seven of the most poverty stricken areas of Memphis, the annual spending is $357,000,000 annually to support children
in federally run programs.
These issues persist for a myriad of reasons. We have cultivated a culture of entitlement and women serving as gatekeepers, thinking they can do it alone. We are facing an overall ideology that men are not needed to better
or further a family and its members.
Democrats and Republicans agree that there is an issue. All agree that it needs a solution. My neighbor, your neighbor, you and I, are already paying to support programs and the people within those programs through our taxes. Now
it's time to reassess and redefine what, where and how we spend that money. We should aim to extend helping hands, and not just handouts, so we don't continue to throw more good money towards programs that are failing.
How we'll do it and who's helping us!
In the first year, The Dapper Dan Society will take on 40 participants (20 per session). Non-employed male participants will enroll in the program at 30 hours per week, participate in group and one-on-one sessions, led by mentors,
and designed to assist them with job readiness, family leadership, wealth building/budgeting, building child/parent relationships, image building and more.
Through small business and corporate community partners, we are establishing training internships that will lead to jobs for participants. We are working to establish a program whereby a work credit would be awarded by the
child support courts toward outstanding child support for Dapper Dan participants, while simultaneously reducing the Families First case claims held by the mother. This will reduce the amount of federal dollars currently being spent in these cases.
We can't fix the whole, but we can make a direct, urgent impact with the males we connect with. Our goal is to consistently form stronger community relationships, that will fortify
and expand our ability to take on more participants.
We didn't mean to put the cart ahead of the horse, but we've helped a few guys already. Nothing major, just workboots for one, housing placement assistance for another, information for a few more. With your support, we are ready
to do more!
Currently, we have several small business owners as sponsors and an International Trade Organization as a sponsor.
We do have a Trade Account. Donations can be given using Barter Dollars also... simply contact [email protected] to arrange a donation.
What's still needed?
Fatherlessness and malessness is one of the main catalysts of poverty and poor family health in a lot of cities across the United States. Private organizations, comprised of compassionate, dedicated, giving individuals, are fighting
to end these crises. It's time for males 25-50 to have a responsible, reputable fatherhood and male restoration program that is dedicated to helping them be better husbands, fathers, providers. The Dapper Dan Society will be that organization.
In order for us to provide this kind of assistance, we need more from our community partners. Through this fund raising campaign, we offer rewards on every level, for we feel that every dollar pledged is a sign of faith and sponsorship
in our program and the men that participate. From acknowledgments on our website, to Superbowl 50 packages, we've got something for everyone that invests with us to achieve stronger, resilient families.
Donations will be used for everything involved in delivering these programs: the bus pass for program participants to get to and from the program on a weekly basis, acquiring the training materials needed for a participant. We
are looking to establish stipends for the mentors ("chaperones") to enable them to continue committing their volunteer time and expertise.
To find out about upcoming community events, you can follow us on Twitter at @thedansociety, visit us on
www.facebook.com/TheDapperDanSociety, or go to our website at
www.thedapperdansociety.org.
