Barry had several teenage children when he went through divorce. His identify shifted as he struggled to understand his changing relationship with his children. It was a challenging time, and those first-hand experiences shaped his work building Kids ‘n’ Dads over the years.
Follow along the journey in the timeline:
2003
Fresh from his own divorce, Barry perceives a need for more support for separated dads. He partners with KW Counselling to deliver You’re Still Dad, a support group for separating and separated dads.
At the time, this is the only program in Ontario catering specifically to dads.
Read the Cambridge Times article where Barry reflects on the origin of his work.
2005
Motivated by the high demand for the You’re Still Dad Program, Barry begins designing an expanded program called Kids ‘n’ Dad. He and his second wife Elaine collaborate on an application to establish Kids ‘n’ Dad as a nonprofit.
2006
Kids ‘n’ Dads formally launches as non-profit and receives funding from the Ontario Trillium Grant.
In partnership with KW Counselling, Barry facilitates dads’ conversation circles and support groups. Barry’s writing on the subject of separation is featured in several newspapers
2006
Kids ‘n’ Dad establishes a physical office for support groups and meetings in downtown Kitchener.
Although initial funding runs out for the program, Barry continues sponsor the program out-of-pocket.
2006
Barry’s leadership and role in the community is recognized with the City of Kitchener’s Senior Award of Distinction.
2006
To build sustainable funding models for more programming, Barry organizes the first Kids ‘n’ Dad fundraising golf tournament.
Barry is an avid golfer, and the event helps increase awareness and donor support for the organization.
2007
Rituals of family togetherness are a constant source of reflection for Barry.
He organizes regular father’s day picnics for Kids ‘n’ Dads participants to gather and celebrate. The graphic here is a poster for the second such picnic.
Father’s day can be a painful holiday for many separated dads, a topic Barry addresses in several articles and blog posts.
2008
Barry continues to research and write articles based on his experiences meeting families and learning about separations.
As the organization’s programming grows, Barry establishes a newsletter in 2008. He secures donations to support programming and holds office hours in the downtown office, acting a support line and liaison to other crisis services in the region.
2009
The demand for support groups and mediation services for separating grows in KW.
Barry and partners at the KW Counselling meet with local Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre John Milloy with proposal to develop a Centre for Separating and Changing Families.
Minister Milloy is moved by their proposal and forwards it to Madeline Meilleur, the Minister of Community and Social Services and Chris Bentley, Attorney General.
The Attorney General replies expressing interest and recognizing both Kids ‘n’ Dads and KW Counselling for their advocacy and work.
2012
Elections occur and no further partnership with government materializes. But Barry, his partners in the social service world, and his team of volunteers have identified gaps in the existing service and information landscape for separating families.
They brainstorm the Family Renewal Resources Project (FRRP), an initiative intended to bridge existing gaps in the system.
2013
Ontario non-profit Dad Central recognizes Barry with the Fernand Lozier Award of Excellent in Father Involvement Practice.
Meanwhile, Barry reflects on his family’s journey: My Complicated Family Turns 20
2016
To support continued growth of funding for programming, Barry submits an application to convert Kids ‘n’ Dad from a non-profit organization to a registered charity.
The application is accepted under the title Kids ‘n’ Dad Shared Support.
2016-2019
Barry and his volunteers continue to facilitate support groups, to run programming out of their downtown office, and to partner with local family service organizations.
Barry’s writing on the subject of separation is published in newspapers throughout Ontario: “Every dad wants the best for his children”
Barry continues to reflect on his post-separation life: My Complicated Family Turns 25.
2020-2021
The COVID-19 pandemic shuts down in-person operations of Kids ‘n’ Dad. As the pandemic persists, Barry closes the organization’s physical office. He recognizes the impact of isolation on separated families in his post: What Matters Becomes Clear… Hopefully.
After a long career as a teacher, managing Kids ‘n’ Dad in his afterschool hours, Barry is now retired and in his seventies. He makes the difficult decision to begin winding down Kids ‘n’ Dad. In 2021, he revokes the charitable organization’s charitable status.
2022 and on
Barry continues to write the occasional op-ed on family and separation. He maintains the Kids ‘n’ Dad website as a hub for resources for separated families and as a testament to over two decades of work.
He has a handful of grandchildren now too, and they and his children fill his days.
Kids ‘n’ Dad’s legacy lives on too, both in the stories shared on this website and in the lives of the 1,500+ family members who were impacted by its services over the years.
Kids 'n' Dad 