With daylight spilling throughout the East River promenade and a buzz of pleasure within the air, CoolxDad opened the doorways to its new headquarters on March 29, 2025, in unforgettable trend. After practically a yr of design, imaginative and prescient casting, and community-building, the Houston-born nonprofit stepped into its subsequent chapter — and did so with model, objective, and lots of coronary heart.
The grand opening introduced out a few of the metropolis’s most passionate change-makers, together with Harris County Legal professional Christian D. Menefee and Baytown Mayor Charles Johnson. The latter shocked the gang with a $15,000 donation from the Metropolis of Baytown — a strong gesture of assist following a latest presentation to their metropolis council. That second marked greater than generosity. It signaled CoolxDad’s rising attain — a motion now not simply rooted in Houston however resonating all through the area.
Founder and CEO Kevin Barnett delivered a stirring speech whereas embracing his youngsters, his voice thick with gratitude and emotion. “I really feel like I can lastly breathe,” he stated, pausing to soak up the gang. “And I need to thank my youngsters for being right here with me — to do one thing I’ve been attempting to construct for you since day one.”
That power was palpable all through the day. In one of many occasion’s most memorable moments, Barnett invited his daughter Knox to affix him on the ribbon slicing. Father and daughter opened the doorways collectively — a symbolic gesture that captured every thing CoolxDad stands for. A robust picture adopted: Barnett standing shoulder to shoulder with the board of administrators and founding members of CoolxDad. It was a portrait of unity and imaginative and prescient, the type that turns mission into motion.
Contained in the HQ, visitors had been welcomed into greater than only a workspace — they stepped right into a cultural expertise. The brand new house of CoolxDad additionally unveiled ONE DREAM Boutique, a curated storefront providing bespoke trend and residential items with a give attention to design, neighborhood, and id. On the coronary heart of the boutique: a line of distinctive CoolxDad merchandise, every bit a visible illustration of the motion itself — cool, easy, and trendy. ONE DREAM isn’t only a retailer — it’s a press release.
Help and recognition flowed from each nook of the town. Particular thanks had been prolonged to the Houston East Finish Chamber of Commerce, whose welcome and partnership helped make CoolxDad’s transition into the East River growth really feel like coming house. The nonprofit additionally thanked the Houston Rockets, H-E-B, and Rodeo Dental for his or her continued perception within the mission and their tangible assist in bringing the area to life.
Now proudly rooted within the historic Fifth Ward, CoolxDad seems to be forward with power and readability. The group is already getting ready for the return of its signature applications: the CoolxKids OnexDream Summer season Camp, expanded Sunday Suppers, and the subsequent installment of CoolxDads in Tech — every initiative constructing deeper bridges between neighborhood, fatherhood, and entry.
CoolxDad could also be celebrating 5 years, however the work is way from carried out. This second was by no means a end line. It was a gateway.
SEE US IN REAL TIME. The motion is right here. The momentum is rising. And CoolxDad is simply getting began.
Keep up to date by following CoolxDad on social media @coolxdad and visiting https://www.coolxdad.com/
About CoolxDad
CoolxDad’s mission is to empower and assist fathers, father figures, and male position fashions who’re engaged, impassioned, and eternally cool, striving to construct a greater world for his or her youngsters and for his or her communities. CoolxDad’s strategy is exclusive in that it uplifts and helps fatherhood and is community-driven reasonably than prescribed.
