Aardvark Helps Tell Stories
Working with our clients, Aardvark crafts stories that resonate and inspire others. When Jesuit Dallas kicker Noah McGough chose to use his platform to shine a light on Men of Nehemiah, a faith-based, residential addiction recovery program in Dallas, Aardvark amplified this amazing story through a strategic PR campaign.
During the 2024 football season, McGough, a senior at Jesuit Dallas, asked the community to donate money for every point he scored. More than $55,000 was raised to fund scholarships and support counseling for the men’s families.
The results of the PR campaign also were significant, including news stories on Fox 4, NBC5, WFAA, CBS11, Spectrum News, Inside High School Sports, Park Cities People, Focus North Texas, Dallas Express, Patch, BubbleLife, Lake Highlands Advocate, Preston Hollow Advocate, Yahoo Sports, and AOL.
McGough also invested his time with the men. “Every Tuesday night the Men of Nehemiah gather for an All City Worship, a spirit-filled service that is powerful and transformative,” said McGough. “You must experience it to understand the power that’s present in that room. I feel the love of God in and around these men.”
“The men see God’s love through Noah, and they respond to him,” said Jim Ramsey, Men of Nehemiah CEO, who had retired after a successful 30-year consulting career. He also came to a worship service and was drawn in to how he could help the organization be more successful.
“We’re very thankful Noah drew attention to our program and raised much needed funds,” continued Ramsey. “More importantly, he demonstrated that he really cares about our men. Many of these men have been estranged from their families. Some have been incarcerated. More than a few lived on the streets while others come to us from affluent neighborhoods. Addiction respects no zip code.”
Men of Nehemiah is a unique program that combines Biblical discipleship with professional counseling and military discipline to restore lives that have been derailed by drug and alcohol addiction. The objective is to help each man become the person God intended him to be and reunite him with his loved ones and community.
In 1994, Pastor Louis Harrell, a former US Army Colonel, founded Men of Nehemiah in New Orleans to deliver his wayward son, Louis Harrell, Jr., from the grip of addiction. Louis Jr. relocated to North Texas after Hurricane Katrina, and launched Men of Nehemiah in Dallas with the help of Roger McCasland, President and CEO of Operation Relief Center.
Today, Men of Nehemiah has helped more than 1,500 men find paths to recovery. Research compiled in 2022 affirmed that 61% of men who graduated from Men of Nehemiah prior to 2020 stayed sober for at least two years. More information is available at menofnehemiah.org.
