No dad alone: DFW Dad Squad brings brotherhood to fathers across North Texas

Being a dad is both a great reward and a great challenge.

The DFW Dad Squad is working with fathers to help meet the challenges and reap the rewards — along with their families. The organization was started in November by friends Joe Crenshaw and Ladrell James of Lewisville, and their mission is simple:

No dad alone. Together, fathers strengthen each other, restore brotherhood, and build local communities, so men can lead their families with confidence, clarity, and support.

“We believe that when dads are supported, families are strengthened — and when families are strengthened — entire communities change,” James said.

“This group is exactly what I didn’t know I needed,” Justin Burns, a member from Roanoke, said.

How DFW Dad Squad got its start

Crenshaw and James said they founded DFW Dad Squad out of a growing burden for fathers who were silently struggling in isolation. What began as informal online conversations and small meetups between dads quickly revealed something deeper: men were craving real brotherhood, not surface-level networking.

“Men were isolated, trapped, and feeling alone in their struggles,” Crenshaw said. “The Dad Squad was created to give dads a place to show up as they are, without posturing, without judgment, and to build genuine community in proximity to their own cities.”

The Dad Squad has members throughout the Metroplex, with thousands of fathers connected from Tarrant County to Collin County, over to Rockwall County and all points in between.

Crenshaw noted that the organization prioritizes healthy leadership and real community over fast expansion.

“Dad Squad exists because men were never meant to do life alone,” James said. “Strong fathers don’t just happen. They are built in community, through encouragement, accountability, and shared life.

James said modern dads are under more pressure than ever. And yet, they are also more isolated than any generation before.

He said that many dads feel disconnected, under-valued, unsure where to be honest and lacking male friendships with depth.

Evidence of this, Crenshaw said, is 2,000 dads joined the group in its first week and four county leaders established in the first two weeks. He added that while some of the most meaningful accomplishments aren’t flashy, they are life-changing, including:

• Dads finding real brotherhood for the first time.
• Men opening up about struggles they’ve never shared.
• Fathers becoming more present and confident at home.
• Local communities seeing men show up for one another.

Crenshaw said Dad Squad doesn’t just impact fathers, it impacts their wives, kids, and communities.

“Dad Squad is about quiet victories that echo loudly — stronger homes, healthier men, and a culture that values fathers again,” Crenshaw said.

“They took a Facebook group of a couple hundred dads who posted randomly and turned it into an active group of 3,000-plus active dads doing meetups covering everything from Bible studies and pickup games of basketball to helping dads navigate divorce and single-parent fatherhood,” said Dr. James Taylor of Keller. “Joe and his business partner Ladrell are true servant leaders.”

Dad Squad gatherings

Dad Squad hosts regular local meetups and family friendly events, including coffee hangs, fitness and outdoor activities, community service initiatives and more. Events on the horizon in 2026 include a Barbecue Tour that started January (gathering at local barbecue joints), and a Dad Squad Golf Tournament (details still being finalized).

Each City Squad sets its own rhythm, ensuring meetings fit the dads in that community. New events are being launched regularly across the Metroplex.

Dad Squad is more than fathers. It’s also fathers walking alongside their sons who are now dads themselves, grandfathers, multi-generational dads, aspiring dads, and even men in father-like mentorship roles, James said. There is also no age limit.

“If you’re a dad, or stepping into a father-figure role, you belong here,” James said. “That generational wisdom is one of the most valuable parts of the community.”

Crenshaw said goals for the future include expansion into major metropolitan areas outside the DFW area — and perhaps even globally.

“There are no barriers, just an open invitation,” he said.

To become a member of Dad Squad, join their hub on Facebook and look for your local squad.