Celebrating the Power of Reuniting Families

We were honored to attend the 26th annual D.A.D.S Annual Fatherhood Banquet on Father’s Day at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington.

Keynote speaker Darryl Strawberry shared his very personal journey of healing with his abusive, alcoholic and absent father. Several other fathers shared how D.A.D.S. has helped them build, restore and maintain bonds with their children, with life-changing results that will have impacts for generations. We were especially touched by hearing D.A.D.S. “graduates” speak to their ability to earn their way back into their children’s lives, overcoming significant challenges such as incarceration and addiction.

D.A.D.S. helps fathers navigate barriers which separate them from their children and families, to stop cycles of family violence and brokenness, and to become agents of change in their communities.

Marvin and Jeanett Charles founded D.A.D.S in 1998 to apply the lessons they had learned during their own process of recovery and reunification of their family. While being homeless, unemployed and addicted, Marvin and Jeanett had lost several children to foster care and were facing termination of parental rights when a Child Protective Services worker gave them 90 days to get sober, find housing and employment. Today, they live in their own home with three daughters and a son and work with other fathers, one at a time, to overcome the challenges they are experiencing and support them in building a better relationship with, and future for, their children.

This event raised $295,000 for the critical work that D.A.D.S. is doing! We’re proud to be a supporter and invite you to learn more at https://www.aboutdads.org.