Through working with at-risk youth, Glenn and Morgan Paddock discovered many youth struggled to dream about their future. When asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, many of their students answered, “I want to work at a fast food restaurant or the skating rink.” The answers did not sit well with the Paddock’s and over the next few months they began to challenge the youth to stretch their imagination as to what their future could look like.
Re-framing the question a few weeks later, students were asked to list 3 things they have always wanted to do, try or places they would like to visit. The Paddocks received answers such as: “I want to go fishing. I want to learn how to ride a bike. I want to go to an NFL game. I want to learn how to do hair. I want to learn how to be a coach. I would like to be a teacher.”
A seed of hope was planted in the lives of the youth. God put a dream in the Paddock’s heart for helping the dreams of at-risk youth come true by providing them with simple yet impacting positive childhood experiences, helping them discover who God uniquely created them to be, providing consistent positive role models, giving them opportunities to explore their area of interest and helping them develop leadership skills; helping them to embrace their future with confidence in who God created them to be.
Thus…The Dream Campaign was born.