As the school year ends, the Dallas Fort Worth Cares Mentoring Movement program is stepping up to provide seniors with suits for events like prom and graduation. On April 25, around twenty young men from Lincoln and Madison High School attended an event at K&G Fashion Superstore in Duncanville to “suit up” for upcoming milestones in their lives.
NaKeesha Richmond Moore, the executive director of DFW Cares, told NBC the entire program started around the idea of preparing boys for prom.
“You know a lot of people that are doing girls for prom, but what about the boys?” she pointed out.
Sponsors for the program lined up quickly, including Comerica Bank and the State Fair of Texas. Through these sponsorships, boys can shop the rack for suits that will be theirs to keep.
“Getting a suit that fits,” Moore said to NBC, emphasizing how meaningful the experience is for the young men. “That fits you. Not your dad. Not your cousin. Not your big brother. A suit that fits you.”
DFW Cares mentors from the community were present at Monday’s event to guide the students as they looked for the perfect suit.
According to the organization’s website, DFW Cares’ primary objective is to work with “vetted youth organizations serving children in under-served communities” in Dallas and Tarrant Counties.
“In addition, our goal is to strategically partner with mentoring organizations to facilitate and cultivate vetted models for transforming the lives of vulnerable young people,” the site reads.
These mentorships help expose young people to opportunities and redirect their course in life. Individuals in the program are said to benefit from increased self-esteem, higher levels of academic achievement, and reduced participation in risky activities.
Students mentored through the program are reportedly less likely to drop out of school and better equipped to make meaningful relationships with peers and adults.
According to the program, “Harsh and cruel life experiences have led many of our young to believe that they are alone in the world and that no one cares. DFW CARES Mentoring seeks to dispel that notion by providing young people with role models who will play an active role in helping shape their development.”
Mentors can make meaningful impacts on the youth in their communities, share their knowledge and experience, and establish valuable relationships. According to DFW Cares, no specific skills or degrees are required to become a mentor.
The website states all it takes is “a kind and caring heart, commitment, being responsible and a good listener.”
During the April 25 event, seniors were joined by mentors from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, who helped them find the best suit for them. Moore told NBC that she hopes the idea of looking and feeling their best follows these young boys into adulthood.
“It’s just really awesome to see their faces,” she said. “To see them get dressed and feel like they’re the man.”
