Dads MOVE

Dads MOVE Dads-
Mentoring
Others through
Voices of
Experience When these elements are combined, Success is almost inevitable.

Dads MOVE serves all parents/caregivers of children with special needs - mental health, complex behavioral, or emotional concerns. We are a family-focused, dads-driven peer support model, providing Support, Training, Advocacy, and Resources. So we believe in always reaching for the STARS! Our Mission:
To strengthen the father's role in raising children with behavioral health needs through education, peer support, and advocacy

Our Vision:
The vision of Dads MOVE is to provide every parent/caregiver (especially dads!) that we connect with, the tools, support, and training needed to be fully engaged in the recovery of their children. No parent should be excluded from the opportunity to help their children and family flourish, and recover.

Our Fathers United Weekend is coming in September.For $35 get some time in nature, lodging, and meals. Plus time with fe...
07/18/2025

Our Fathers United Weekend is coming in September.

For $35 get some time in nature, lodging, and meals. Plus time with fellow dads who can understand your journey.

Reach out to jkellam@dadsmove.org or scan the QR code with a device to learn more.

Sept 12-14. We can’t wait to see you there! Register today!

Get your kiddos out into nature. Try these hikes.
07/16/2025

Get your kiddos out into nature. Try these hikes.

Join us at the Steven Williams Memorial - Fathers United Weekend!This weekend event is open to dads, grandparents, and m...
07/10/2025

Join us at the Steven Williams Memorial - Fathers United Weekend!

This weekend event is open to dads, grandparents, and male caregivers who have children with special needs or children struggling in their family, or extended family.

Who: Dads like you!

What: The Steven Williams Memorial - Fathers United Weekend

When: September 12-14th

Where: Soundview Camp - 8515 Key Peninsula HWY S in Longbranch Washington.

Why: We will offer lots of fun activities to help you relax, like frisbee golf, canoeing, archery and much more!

Sept 12th Friday evening (4pm check in)

Sept 14th Sunday checkout (noon).

Worried about how you’ll be able to get to Longbranch? We want to see you there, and we are here to help - We can arrange travel to get you there.

If you are struggling financially and would like a scholarship to attend, please reach reach out to Jessicah Kellam at jkellam@dadsmove.org and we will hook you up!

06/15/2025
06/13/2025

Are you a dad of a child with behavioral health challenges?

We know the feeling. We’ve been through a lot of the same things.

And we’re still learning every day. Along the way, we’ve picked up tools that help with IEPs, parenting strategies, calming tough moments, sibling stress, and more. Now we just want to share what we’ve learned and support other dads walking a similar path.

Join us for a weekend just for dads and male caregivers!

Whether you’re a dad, stepdad, grandpa, uncle, or another caring guy in a child’s life… you’re welcome here! We’ll have games, movies, good conversations, and plenty of time to relax.

Details:
• When: Friday (check-in at 4 p.m.) to Sunday (noon checkout)
• Where: Camp location provided after registration
• Cost: $35…. And that includes lodging and all meals
• Perks: Sign up by September 1st and get a free welcome basket

Worried about getting there?

We can help with gas vouchers, bus or train tickets, or even carpools. Just let us know what you need.

What to bring:
Just your own bedding and an open mind. That’s it!

Need help with the cost?
We’ve got scholarships available. Just email Jessicah Kellam at jkellam@dadsmove.org and she’ll take care of you.

We hope to see you there! It’s a great chance to connect, recharge, and remember you’re not alone in this.

Here’s an event in July and August for the kiddos. They can learn some skills and maybe earn some cash!
06/09/2025

Here’s an event in July and August for the kiddos. They can learn some skills and maybe earn some cash!

Hey dads, Valentine's Day is upon us!Not that a dad would ever forget Valentine’s Day, right?You know what Valentine’s D...
02/12/2025

Hey dads, Valentine's Day is upon us!

Not that a dad would ever forget Valentine’s Day, right?

You know what Valentine’s Day means: classroom card exchanges, candy hearts, and enough Spider-Man and unicorn Valentines to fill a backpack. But for some of our kids, this Valentine's Day might also mark the beginning of their first "relationship"—the elementary school boyfriend/girlfriend phase, where holding hands at recess is peak romance.

Or stealing a pen off the teacher’s desk that the other person really likes in order to impress the new boyfriend/girlfriend…

Now, let's be real, these elementary school romances can be fleeting. Fast forward a few weeks (or even days!), and that first love might already be over. Maybe their special someone decides to play kickball with someone new, or maybe they just gravitate towards a different group at lunchtime. Whatever the reason, your kid might be experiencing their first real heartbreak.

And that's where you come in. First and foremost, don't dismiss their feelings. It might seem small to you, but to them, it's a big deal.

Listen to them, acknowledge their sadness, and let them feel their feelings for a bit. Then, gently remind them of the importance of friendships—how valuable and lasting they are, sometimes even more so than playground romances.

And finally, the classic dad move: distract, distract, distract! Ice cream, a movie night, some quality time together—these things can work wonders and help your kiddo bounce back faster than you think.

It might be their first time dealing with a breakup, but with you by their side, it certainly won't be their last comeback from 💔.

Address

Tacoma, WA
98401

Telephone

+18007360979

Website

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Category

Mentoring Others Through Voices Of Experience

We are a family -focused, dads driven peer support model providing support, training, advocacy, and resources to the parents and families of special needs kids, and their local service providers. Each of us has a child with Special needs in our family, so we have traveled a similar Road, and we have had to deal with the stigma and barriers that every special needs parent faces. We are parents, caregivers, and family members who firmly believe in paying it forward, so other families can experience success and recovery for their own family.

"Why a dads support network?"

The short answer is, men and women are different, we each think, feel, react, and interpret things differently. As a Dad, we are more likely to enlist the advice of other dads/male caregivers who have had experiences similar to ourselves. The members of Dads MOVE have traveled a road much like the one you are on now. We have learned how to be an effective advocate for our kids across many systems and providers. We can help answer the questions you have been asking yourself, about the diagnosis, treatment, support groups, community resources, IEPs, reward systems, and how to maintain career/personal relationships while working towards recovery for your child and family.

We don't just talk the talk, we walk the walk. We advocate, inform, educate, train, and support the families we serve. Every family should aim for the STARS. Support + Training + Advocacy + Resources = Success for the child and family