Daddy’s Spirit provides group educational and recreational experiences in the form of field trips to cultural institutions and sporting events, event tickets donated by local businesses and individuals, and "in-house" programming for kids and moms at The Center on Central in Paoli, PA (and in other locations in the future), in order to meet one of the primary missions of Daddy’s Spirit – that it’s OK to have fun again.

Please feel free to click here to be directed to descriptions of our prior events.

Children who participate in Daddy's Spirit programs feel less isolated and more supported by their peers and by the community we have built - helping them to shape a more optimistic future.

A recent study by Iris Wagman Borowsky, Marjorie Ireland, and Michael D. Resnick (researchers at the University of Minnesota), published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, found that after surveying over 20,000 teens in a seven year period, nearly 15% of them expected to die before they reached age 35.  This figure is substantially higher than what the historical norm would show.  The researchers concluded that it is a myth that teens engage in risky behavior because they feel invulnerable.  Instead, Dr. Borowsky feels that many teens engage in risky behavior "because they feel hopeless and figure that not much is at stake."  The Associated Press report, released June 29, 2009, also quotes Cornell University professor Valerie Reyna, who has done similar research, stating not only that this survey makes "an even stronger case against the invulnerability idea," but also offers that "it's extremely important to talk about how perception of risk influences risk-taking behavior."

The AP reports that the researchers analyzed data from a nationally representative survey of kids in grades 7 to 12 who were interviewed three times between 1995 and 2002.  Of 20,594 teens interviewed in the first round, 14.7 percent said they thought they had a good chance of dying before age 35.  Subsequent interviews found these fatalistic kids engaged in more risky behavior than more optimistic kids.

The study suggests some kids overestimate their risks for harm; however, it also provides evidence that some kids may have good reason for being fatalistic.  Kids who are disproportionately exposed to violence and hardship were much more likely than their counterparts to believe they'd die young.

At Daddy's Spirit, we believe that this survey encapsulates the risks that grieving children also face - regardless of their race or socioeconomic background - and underscores why intervening productively and supporting children to the point where their view of their own futures is more aligned with the possibilities that these futures afford.

We also invite you to visit the page on this site titled:  "Why Kids Need Daddy's Spirit"

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Daddy’s Spirit is in its fourth program year.  We are seeking participation of children ages 5-18 who reside in the Greater Philadelphia (PA-NJ-DE-MD) area and whose fathers have died.

Interested children should have an adult family member complete Daddy's Spirit Participant Application Form.

Beyond recreational opportunities, we intend at some point in the future to provide specific financial assistance to individual children for the purpose of defraying the cost of organized recreational programs outside the Daddy's Spirit program (such as dance classes, sports league fees and music lessons), as well as later defraying the cost of post-secondary education for the children who receive our services.

In order to achieve the dual goals of providing educational and recreational opportunities, we are:

•  Actively seeking volunteers to help us build awareness of the Daddy's Spirit program, as well as to work directly with the children and their families.

•  Actively seeking donors - both cash contributions and in-kind donations are sought.

•  Accepting applications from caregivers of children who would like to receive the benefit of our services.