When this week’s Getting Results Award winner was looking for a mentorship program for her daughter, she couldn’t find one that felt right. So she started her own.
Daphne Hart’s daughters are now grown but The Daughters of Valor nonprofit continues.
Hart says Daughters of Valor or the DOV Program is designed to help girls evaluate their life options. The program takes advantage of classroom instruction, community service and life skills.
We met up with Hart at Art Tech Hair Studio in Orlando, the business she runs with her oldest daughter, Shawneece.
Hart calls herself a facilitator, helping to guide young girls to meet their potential.
“What drives me is, number one, my faith. I really sincerely believe that we are our brother’s keeper. We are responsible for the next generation of young people,” Hart said. “My focus is to see the next generation be successful. That’s what drives me.”
Hart started the program in 2009 when she was looking for an outlet for her youngest daughter, Dawn. She couldn’t find one that fit her needs.
“At that time I had a 13-year-old daughter who was going through some trials of her own. I looked for a program that would help her and I couldn’t find any that worked with a child who was not pregnant and not a delinquent. She just needed more social involvement.”
Since then, Hart says the weekly DOV Program has influenced about 300 kids.
Hart says a key component to the program is creating self-confidence. “We do that by raising their academic scores, helping them to recognize their learning style. Are they kinesthetic like me, working with their hands. Or are they more visual or auditory?”
“If you don’t understand your learning style then you could struggle in school.”
Hart has also organized fundraisers and helped low-income people during the pandemic.
Hart was nominated by family friend, Rebekah Davis.
Davis wrote, “Ms. Daphne has been the most selfless person I’ve known,” Davis went on to say, “I’ve known her since I was four and she has always given back to the community
“The key to success is being there for them, encouraging their ideas and their thoughts,” Hart said.
The DOV program has been on hold through the pandemic but Hart hopes to start sessions again soon. She’s also raising money for a permanent location for the nonprofit.