"All Pro Dads" at Dunwoody Elementary School
Dunwoody, GA -- On the third Friday of every month, the cafeteria at Dunwoody Elementary School fills with dozens of dads and their kids for a program called All Pro Dads, founded by former NFL player and coach Tony Dungy.
"The idea of having a set day, once a month, to have breakfast and be with my kids was something I did not want to pass up," said Robert Apple, head of the All Pro Dads chapter at DES.
PHOTO GALLERY | All Pro Dads help fathers & kids connect
DES is one of more than 125 schools in metro Atlanta with All Pro Dads chapters.
The national program was designed by Dungy, an NFL analyst for NBC, to encourage dads to share more quality time with their children and become better fathers.
"My motivation is to help men understand that they are going to have an impact one way or another, either negatively or positively, in their kids' lives," said Dungy. "And you want to be positive."
Dungy started the program in 1997. It's now in more than 1,500 schools across the country. Daily parenting and family e-mails reach nearly 150,000 people every day.
"Strengthening families and young people's lives is really the most important thing," Dungy said.
At Dunwoody Elementary School, the program gives fathers a chance to connect with their kids.
"Each month, the topic is from the real world and is thought-provoking," Apple said. "I have received many comments from dads stating that the topics discussed at the breakfasts have opened up great dialog with their kids."
All Pro Dads has a total of 53 NFL spokesmen, including coaches, players and alumni.