Serving The Ashford Rise School of Dallas Since 1998.

Who We Are

The TouchDown Club of Dallas is a brotherhood of like-minded men across all professional industries working toward a common cause. What started in 1998 with thirty members has grown into a powerful network of over 450 active members and alumni.

Our members are the driving force behind the operations of The Ashford Rise School. Through our collective efforts, the TDC raises over $1,000,000 annually to improved the lives of the students. Since the club’s inception, our members have raised over $20,000,000, ensuring that the school can continue to provide elite educational services to families regardless of their financial ability.

OUR MISSION IS TWO-FOLD

Raise money for Rise and have fun doing it!

OUR MOTTO

It’s all for the kids!

Our Story

On Easter Sunday in 1995, John & Wendy Poston gave birth to twins and one of them (Michael) was diagnosed with Down syndrome. They began a national search for a program they could bring to Dallas and, finally in September of 1997, the Poston’s found exactly what they were looking for in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama. It was a program named “RISE” which focuses on the needs of toddlers and preschoolers who have developmental disabilities, such as Down syndrome. Through months of advocating to bring this wonderful program back home, John was finally successful in chartering the program to establish The Rise School of Dallas. Knowing it would take constant fund raising efforts and support from the community to keep Rise operational, John established a small group of men (coworkers and colleagues) and they called themselves The TouchDown Club.

TDC was formed by John Poston and a group of his close friends who worked together towards one cause: raising money to establish and fund the operations of The Ashford Rise School of Dallas. The Rise School is a preschool that provides the highest quality of early childhood education services to children (6 months to 6 years) with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities side by side with children without disabilities in an inclusive classroom setting. Hence the name, “Touch” “Down” club.

In 1998, The Touchdown Club of Dallas started with around thirty members and today the club has grown to over 450+ active members and alumni across all professional industries in Dallas. TDC continues to be the lifeblood of YMCA Rise, raising over $1,000,000 annually to help improve the lives of children with disabilities and their families. Since the club’s inception, TDC has raised over $25,000,000 through our various annual events, such as: Rise Roundup, The Rise Cup Classic, Big Texas BBQ. Proceeds from these events benefit The Ashford Rise School of Dallas and allow the program to continue to provide the highest quality early developmental and educational services to children with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities.