Overview

Dads Appreciating Down Syndrome, or D.A.D.S., is an organization of fathers of children who happen to have Down syndrome. We hesitate to call our self a “support group”, even though we do, in many ways, support each other. We prefer to think of D.A.D.S. as an “action group.” You won’t find us in a church basement drinking warm coffee and whining about having children with Down syndrome. Instead, you’ll find us out in the community coaching our kid’s sports teams, participating in our children’s IEPs, volunteering at local Down syndrome fundraising events, and even sponsoring fundraising events of our own.

We host regular meetings where our members come together to share insights and experiences. Face it: there are certain responsibilities that generally fall on the shoulders of the father. Having a child with special needs often affects how we approach those responsibilities. We invite expert speakers to discuss medical, educational, financial, social, and many other issues that affect our children’s lives. And of course, we share stories and experiences that are unique to fathers of children with Down syndrome. Your colleagues at the office may not understand your excitement when your 5 yr old makes “poopie” on the toilet for the first time, but other D.A.D.S. will, because we’ve all been there.