dopt-A-Role Model (ARM) was conceived, developed, and nurtured by its co-founder, Macon, Georgia, business person Jestine Dennard in May of 1992. Since June, 2004, Jestine Dennard and Louis Childers have nurtured ARM. The highly successful and nationally recognized ARM program has been quite effective. In 1996, the Adopt-A-Role Model program appeared in a segment on the Oprah Winfrey show in recognition of the successful efforts of the ARM program. Locally, Protégé Kedrick Henderson shared with Ms. Winfrey's producer how the street was his life and pastime activity and how ARM provided a role model that has literally saved his life. By going into deep details how since joining the program, and all of the activities including meeting new friends, he has been able to, with the support of his Role Model, make better choices. He also shared how hard it was to get out of the gang and how even his family had to make changes in relocating to a different and better neighborhood.

The ARM process works thusly: (1) ARM identifies and enrolls Protégés in the program; (2) ARM recruits, screens, selects, and trains Role Models; (3) Protégés choose to adopt a Role Model with interests and careers similar to theirs; ARM provides structured activities for the Role Model and his Protégé. Since its inception in 1992, the Adopt-A-Role Model program has been extremely active in the pursuit of achieving its objectives. ARM is involved in sponsoring many projects: (1) the clean-up of historic Linwood cemetery in Macon, GA, (2) a “Youth Against Violence Symposium,” (3) blood drives in conjunction with the America Red Cross, (4) an annual Summer Tutorial Program, (5) a clothing bank program for the needy ARM children, (6) an annual “Share Day,” (7) regular Rap Sessions, (8) periodic reading workshops, (9) fundraising events, (10) establishing a “gun hotline” to decrease the availability of illegal firearms in the community, (11) annual camping trips, (12) trips to racing events, (13) providing holiday gift baskets to the needy, (14) organizing a weekly “Lunch with Your Protégé Day,” (15) etiquette classes, (16) a 16-week drug and alcohol use and abuse prevention program, (17) an annual "Career Day,” (18) formal arts and crafts classes, (19) Role Model recruitment drives, (20) breast cancer month with free exams, (21) providing weekly tutoring classes for Protégés, (22) an annual summer literacy Lock-in-Program, and (23) computer training.