ABOUT THE DB FOUNDATION

Our Mission

Our mission is to establish and implement awareness and educational programs regarding dangerous adolescent behaviors to parents, schools, law enforcement, Health Care Professionals and children for the purpose of injury prevention and risk reduction. This will be achieved through changing legislation, providing seminars, school assemblies, community presentations, a website presence, an availability to the media and a quarterly newsletter and providing, free of charge, educational materials such as brochures to those seeking this information.

The DB Foundation (originally The Dylan Blake Foundation) was founded by Kate Leonardi in January of 2006 focusing on education and awareness of risky teen behaviors. Kate was stunned to learn of one risky behavior she wasn't aware of, the Choking Game, after her 11 year old son, Dylan, passed away in October 2005. In the years since, DBF has become a nationally recognized organization with dozens of involved volunteers and a very active Board of Directors. We have been quoted in The New York Times (pg 1 Feb 2007) and The US Centers for Disease Control (MMWR Feb 2008), and cited as a statistical source for Choking Game data on NBC's TODAY show (April 24, 2009) to name a few. We have been used as a resource to tens of thousands of parents, school districts and medical personnel seeking information, direction and Dangers of the Choking Game Presentations in their efforts to prevent a tragedy.

The DB Foundation operates on a 'community based and community driven' philosophy. As a community, we each bring to the table our own personal, often tragic, experience and knowledge. It is each one of these voices, coming together creating our passion and united front as we gain ground on reaching other communities for the sake of education and preventative measures against dangerous adolescent behaviors. Not a single voice is ever turned away from wishing to help join our forces.