DADDY AND DYLAN PROJECT

From One Dad to Another

Help Build a Lifeline for Custodial Fathers

Empower Dads. Secure Futures. Build Strong Bonds.

My name is Andy Eberz. Sixteen years ago, I became the primary parent responsible for raising my son. Like many custodial fathers, I quickly discovered there wasn’t a roadmap. There were bills that couldn’t wait, school forms that needed signatures, childcare challenges that had to be solved, and countless moments when I wondered where a father in my position was supposed to turn for help.

I know what it is like to carry the responsibility of holding a household together, navigating childcare, managing finances, working through legal paperwork, and making important parenting decisions while wondering where a father in that position is supposed to turn for help.

While many valuable resources exist for parents and families, custodial fathers can still struggle to find guidance and assistance that speaks directly to their circumstances. Too often, fathers try to manage these challenges quietly and alone because they are unsure where to turn.

That is why I created the Daddy and Dylan Project, a developing community initiative working toward federal 501(c)(3) recognition. Our mission is to support custodial fathers experiencing hardship while promoting responsible, active, and engaged fatherhood.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO IT ALONE.

To learn more about our mission, planned programs, and commitment to custodial fathers and their families, please visit the Daddy and Dylan Project website .

Why I’m Asking for Help

I’ll be honest: asking for help does not come naturally to me.

As a father, I have always been the one figuring things out and finding a way forward, not the one asking others to step in. But if I want to build something that can genuinely help other fathers, I cannot build it alone.

I have come to understand that asking for support is not a weakness. It is how a community comes together to create something bigger than any one person could build by himself.

This campaign will provide the seed funding needed to establish the Daddy and Dylan Project responsibly, create our first Emergency Assistance Fund, and begin building a reliable process for supporting custodial fathers and their families in Montgomery County.

Our Goal: $15,000

Our $15,000 goal is based on identified startup, outreach, and direct-assistance needs. It will help us build the project on a responsible foundation while setting aside meaningful funding to begin assisting custodial fathers experiencing hardship.

This is not a number chosen at random. Every part of the goal has a purpose.

Where Your Donation Goes

Purpose Amount

Emergency Assistance Fund

Housing, utilities, food, and transportation for eligible custodial fathers. $5,775

Reduced-Fee Legal and Nonprofit Startup Assistance

Organizational formation, governance, compliance, and federal tax-exemption guidance. $3,500

Community Launch and Resource Event

A community resource event designed to connect custodial fathers with service providers, potential partners, volunteers, and practical support. Funding will cover the venue, outreach, signage, and hospitality for up to 100 guests. $3,500

Federal Tax-Exemption Application Fee

Reserved for the anticipated federal application fee. $275

General Liability Insurance

First-year protection for outreach, programs, events, and activities. $600

Website Hosting and Outreach Materials

First-year website, educational materials, and community communications. $650

Estimated Transaction and Processing Fees

Any unused portion will be transferred to the Emergency Assistance Fund. Up to $700

TOTAL CAMPAIGN GOAL $15,000

Every contribution will support one of the direct-assistance, startup, outreach, or organizational purposes described in this campaign. Funds raised beyond these expenses will be directed toward expanding the Emergency Assistance Fund and advancing the Daddy and Dylan Project’s mission.

How Assistance Will Work

The Emergency Assistance Fund is being created to help eligible custodial fathers in Montgomery County address urgent household needs, including housing stability, utilities, food, and transportation.

Assistance requests will be reviewed using written eligibility, residency, custody, financial-need, and documentation requirements. Assistance will depend on the circumstances of each request, program guidelines, and available funding.

Whenever practical, approved assistance will be paid directly to the appropriate landlord, utility company, service provider, or vendor rather than issued as unrestricted cash.

We are committed to reviewing applications respectfully and confidentially. As the project launches, we will publish clear information about eligibility, the application process, available funding, and how assistance decisions are made.

Why This Matters

When a father has the support needed to keep the lights on, travel to work, put food on the table, or maintain stable housing, the benefit reaches beyond one person. It helps protect the stability, security, and well-being of his children.

The Daddy and Dylan Project began with one father’s lived experience and a desire to make the path easier for the father coming behind him. With community support, it can grow into a dependable resource for fathers who need practical assistance, useful guidance, and reassurance that they do not have to face every challenge alone.

This project is also about more than responding to emergencies. It is about recognizing the importance of fathers who show up, accept responsibility, and remain actively involved in their children’s lives. When fathers are supported, families have a stronger opportunity to move forward.

How You Can Help

Whether you can contribute $5, $25, $50, $100, or another amount, every donation moves us closer to establishing the project and helping our first fathers and families. No contribution is too small to matter.

If you are not in a position to donate, please share this campaign with your family, friends, coworkers, and community. One share could connect us with a donor, volunteer, community partner, service provider, or custodial father who needs to know that help is being built for him.

You can also visit and share the Daddy and Dylan Project website to help more people learn about our mission.

Help Us Build This Together

The Daddy and Dylan Project started with one father, one son, and an idea shaped by more than 16 years of lived experience.

With your help, it can grow into something much bigger: a community where custodial fathers feel supported, respected, and better equipped to create secure and loving futures for their children.

Please donate, share this campaign, and help us build a place where fathers know they do not have to do it alone.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the Daddy and Dylan Project, for believing in the importance of engaged fathers, and for considering a donation or share. Your support can help us turn lived experience into practical help for fathers and children in our community.

Empower Dads. Secure Futures. Build Strong Bonds.

Transparency Note

The Daddy and Dylan Project is currently in its startup stage and working toward federal 501(c)(3) recognition.

Because federal tax-exempt status has not yet been approved, contributions made through this campaign should not be assumed to be tax-deductible. Campaign funds will be used for the startup, outreach, organizational, and direct-assistance purposes described above.

We are committed to responsible recordkeeping, appropriate documentation, and transparent communication about our progress. Updates will be shared as the project reaches important milestones and begins putting donor support to work.