Our Work

Summer Day Camp

The FUDGE Foundation hosts a Summer Day Camp designed to empower youth through a mix of activities and support. Key features of the camp include:

Activities: Sports, enrichment activities, work readiness skills training, and weekly field trips

Support: Individual counseling for personal development

Logistics: Free for youth ages 6-17 (with a Medicaid card) and includes free lunch and snacks

Mentorship & Skills Workshops

The FUDGE Foundation’s broader mission involves connecting youth with mentors and community leaders to support their success, while the workshops aim to build resilience, life skills, and confidence.

National Advocacy & Survivor Empowerment

The FUDGE Foundation’s community engagement extends across the country, centered on advocacy and giving a voice to survivors of trauma and gun violence.

National Events

The Foundation actively participates in major advocacy events. For example, in September 2024, it joined over 3,000 survivors in Washington D.C. for the first Crime Survivor March, an event focused on elevating survivor voices on Capitol Hill.

Direct Advocacy

Founder Dion Green is a prominent advocate for gun legislation and mental health support, speaking in communities across the nation that have been impacted by gun violence. The organization’s work is driven by the mission to support individuals on their journey of grief and healing through advocacy at both a local and national level.

Community Resource Center

A central focus of the Foundation’s local community engagement is its new Community Resource Center. The new HQ is designed to be a physical home base to expand the Foundation’s services and impact, as well as to be a safe space set aside for the community.

Once complete, the center will host a range of services for the community, including social services and community support groups, counseling and mental health resources for trauma survivors, trades training and skills workshops, and space for educational programs and youth activities.

Community Involvement: The project itself has become a vehicle for community engagement. Dion has worked on the renovation, joined by volunteers like 18-year-old Andrew Norman, a student from the Dayton Job Corps. This partnership provides hands-on experience for young people while helping to build a vital community asset.

Tribute and Symbolism: A mural on the back of the building will serve as a permanent tribute to Dion’s father, Derrick Fudge, and the other eight victims of the 2019 Oregon District shooting, ensuring the community’s history is honored.

Sustained Local Support: Free Weekly Community Meals: One of the Foundation’s active and recurring community services is its free community meal program. These meals are served every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., are open to everyone, and require no registration, just drop by! This initiative directly addresses food security while fostering a sense of community gathering and support.

Public Speaking & Community Outreach

Dion regularly speaks at conferences, universities, and community events to raise awareness and foster dialogue about gun violence, trauma, and resilience.

University Engagement

Dion has been a guest speaker at the University of Dayton, where he shared his personal experience with students in a business writing course, leading to a collaborative project to create online trauma and grief recovery modules.

National Conferences

His advocacy takes him across the country; he has spoken about mental health at a conference in Las Vegas, covered victims compensation at the Supreme Court, and stood with survivors at national marches and advocacy events.

Media & Podcast Appearances

He has participated in numerous interviews and podcast discussions to reach a wider audience and delve deeper into issues of advocacy and healing.

Podcast Features: He has shared his journey on podcasts like “Crime Survivors Speak,” “War Cry For Our Children,” and “Igniting Hope for Health Equity”. Topics include survivor resources, community healing, and systemic change.

Local News: He frequently speaks with local media to update the community on his advocacy work, including visits to communities affected by recent tragedies in order to help families navigate the aftermath of tragedy.