Succeeding forever has to start somewhere, and that’s where the Dock family can help.
Emily and Donovan Dock are the founders of the nonprofit Succeed Forever Community Transformation in Midlothian. Their mission is to help young people find a road map to reaching their dreams.
On their website is a quote from Benjamin Franklin, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn.”
“We love getting to know our community better and being able to equip students, bring families together, and serve those around us,” Emily said.
It all started in 2013 when Donovan was speaking at a nonprofit fundraising gala, and one of the board members approached him and asked if he could modify his corporate coaching platform to become a volunteer in the junior high school where she worked. Over the school year, he did campus-wide seminars, motivating students to dream and set a positive vision for their lives, and then from there, he taught them how to set goals to achieve those dreams.
The passion for this cause and the need from the schools, students, and families was evident, and in 2014 the nonprofit was founded. It has continued to blossom ever since.
This time of year is an especially busy one for the organization. First, they have an annual Christmas program that pairs students together who then deliver presents to families.
“In working in schools and directly with families, we have discovered that many we are serving are living in poverty, many times students working to provide for their families, living in cars, living without basic necessities,” Emily said. “In order to uncover some of these needs, as well as provide some relief during the holidays, we have students and their siblings – or parents – fill out a wish list of not only their favorite things but also something they really want and something they really need.
“This has uncovered some real heartbreaking needs that the community has rallied around to bring support,” she continued.
Students are anonymously paired with sponsors, and gifts are dropped off at either of the organization’s thrift store locations. From there, they either have a Christmas party at one of the schools, or parents pick up presents to give to their kids on Christmas.
The other busy part of this time of year is the annual New Year’s Camp. It’s part of their Visionhacker Trails and Camps program. Visionhacker means participants hack into a positive vision for their future and proceed to chase it down.
“At Visionhacker Trails and Camps, we believe that everyone has the power to achieve their dreams. We offer a range of programs and activities designed to help individuals gain clarity, build resilience, and unlock their full potential,” Emily said. “We start with a physical or team building activity, helping students push past their limitations physically and mentally, and then through seminars, we teach practical steps on reaching for their dream through goal setting by breaking down each step along the way. It is highly interactive and engaging to keep students interested and motivated.”
Also, throughout the year, Succeed Forever hosts Vision Hikes and goal-setting seminars for students, families, and teams. They also hold a back-to-school event, which is similar to the Christmas program, and they identify needs in the community and help families provide clothing, shoes, etc., for back-to-school.
Funding for the nonprofit comes from donors and their two thrift stores located at 1000 E. Main St., Suite 303 in Midlothian and 124 Beltline Rd., Suite 8 in Cedar Hill. Both locations offer a boutique feel with quality items at low prices.
“We want our community and customers to feel valued when they shop and also to be able to afford what they need,” Emily said.
Volunteers are always needed, she added.
“Many times volunteers will start in the thrift stores to get to know the mission better, but we also have volunteers that help us with the camps, etc as well,” she said.
For more information about the organization or to sign up as a volunteer, visit their website at www.succeedforever.org.
