Mr. Darrell Edmonds, M.S.

Biography

Mr. Darrell Edmonds holds a Bachelor’s from the University of Delaware and a Masters in Non-Profit Management from Eastern University. He is a dedicated community member, best-selling author, youth advocate and mentor.

In 2013, Mr. Edmonds founded the nonprofit organization Friday Is Tie Day, Inc., so-called because it encourages young men to wear ties to school on Fridays. The mission of his organization is to build men through male youth mentoring and responsible fatherhood. Friday Is Tie Day is responsible for starting the area’s first chapter of the All-Pro Dad dad’s day breakfast, a national program endorsed by Tony Dungy, former coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Super Bowl-winning Indianapolis Colts, who is also a well-known author. Over the first year, the group grew from 7 teens to more than 70 teens over 10 high schools. They meet monthly for lessons on goal setting, college awareness and leadership development. The group has made college visits to West Chester University, Temple University, Rutgers University, Duke University, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Howard University, the University of Richmond, Vassar College, the University of Delaware and more. The teens have participated in projects for Hope For Liberia and a suit drive for their MLK Day Community Service Project, community clean-ups, mini-library donation, and volunteering at Turning Point Day Center for the homeless. Mr. Edmonds has been recognized by the National Campaign for Black Male Achievement and the National Mentoring Movement.

Mr. Edmonds also works for Give Something Back as the Regional Director of Mentoring & Partnerships. “Give Back” is a national scholarship and mentoring program that works with youths starting in 9th grade who have been in foster care or impacted by the incarceration of a parent to prepare them for college. All students who meet the requirements of the program receive full tuition, room & board scholarships to college. Currently, Give Back covers 7 states and over 1,000 total scholars. In 2017, Darrell was also named to the Board of the Forman Acton Educational Foundation. The Forman Acton Educational Foundation provides college readiness, 529 college savings accounts, and scholarships to students in the Salem City School District in Salem, NJ. This 35 million dollar effort is designed to increase college access and completion to all students in that district.

Mr. Edmonds is happily married to his wife, Janine Edmonds, who is a guidance counselor at Oakcrest High School. They are the proud parents of Olivia (16), Keilani (10) and Jessica (4).