As a young caseworker, I noticed a significant increase in children being diagnosed with ADHD. Parents were often pressured to medicate their children before sending them to school and required to keep the medication on hand. To manage these cases, the school board began hiring school nurses to oversee medications for students with IEPs.

Both of my sons were diagnosed with ADHD, prompting me to conduct my own investigation and research into the condition. I even started a pilot program to spend dedicated time with these children. During this time, my daughter’s teacher attempted to label her with ADHD due to her brothers’ diagnoses. I fought hard for my daughter, hired a tutor, and ultimately placed her in a private school to ensure her needs were met without bias.

Through prayer and perseverance, I founded ADHD Ministries in 2003. Since then, I have witnessed parents collecting behavioral notes as documentation to qualify for SSI benefits for their children. My heart was moved to address this growing need in our community, especially after one of my sons was identified as both gifted and emotionally handicapped with ADHD, while the other was diagnosed with SLD/ADHD.

Guided by the Holy Spirit, I developed customized case plans for my children. My daughter, Tynesha, was provided regular classwork, while Anthony was mentored by a Valencia College professor at $40 per hour as part of a homeschool program. Javares received support from an educational therapist at $80 per hour through First Baptist Church. However, I quickly realized that many minority families lacked the financial means to access similar resources, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, private tutoring, or mentorship programs.

I began to pray fervently for God to make me a storehouse to serve at-risk children and ADHD families. Through His guidance, this dream started to become a reality.

Our historic church, Black Bottom House of Prayer, will include a special office dedicated to providing these critical support services. Built in 1925, it stands as one of the oldest churches in Orlando’s African American community. Designed in the Spanish Mission style, it features sturdy brick and stucco walls, serving as a testament to resilience and faith.

~ Pastor Dana “Action” Jackson