All Pro Dad—a fatherhood program of Family First, a Tampa-based, national nonprofit—will continue its mission of bringing dads together with their kids through its All Pro Dad Virtual Chapter Guide, which will provide existing All Pro Dad Chapters access to tools and resources to continue regular breakfast chapter meetings in a virtual space.
Through these chapters’ monthly school gatherings, dads and their kids engage in meaningful conversations and activities centered around a character-based curriculum, and in a time when physical interaction and socialization is not possible, All Pro Dad believes father-child connections should remain a priority—virtually or otherwise.
All Pro Dad Virtual Chapter Guide materials include directions for running a chapter meeting with Zoom®. It will help leaders navigate virtual meeting nuances while listing upcoming dates for online All Pro Dad Chapter meetings, which will be made available to those who are unable to host a virtual gathering on their own. Current All Pro Dad team captains can access materials through their chapter’s online dashboard.
Jim Gaffney, leader of the Bevis Elementary All Pro Dad Chapter, and his chapter members have strengthened fatherchild connections through their meetings at the local school, which usually 150 or more members attend.
“All Pro Dad is just really connecting dads and kids,” said Gaffney, “and encouraging and reminding the dads that, let’s be a hero in our house and in our community, let our kids see us in that role. And that’s hopefully what we’ve done this year.”
Activities that his chapter has done include building a bench for the school’s playground; going to a Bucs game; dads telling their kids what about them they’re proud of and vice versa; kids playing games to learn and practice topics like leadership, reliability and self-control; doing a clay shooting fundraiser to support the nonprofit Operation Lotus, helping families in need; and much more.
Of course, moms and other family members are welcome and encouraged to join the meetings, but the emphasis is on father-child relationships. With the pandemic situation, Gaffney and his chapter seek to continue the meetings however they can, including virtually.
“Fathers have an incredible role to play in their children’s lives, particularly during times of uncertainty,” said Tony Dungy, co-founder of All Pro Dad.
“Though current circumstances prevent us from coming together physically, the All Pro Dad Virtual Chapter Guide will allow chapter members to gather remotely to continue building relationships and making memories.”
For more information on the All Pro Dad program, where to find a local chapter or how to start your own chapter, visit allprodadchapters.com.
