WS Chronicle

In 2020 local entrepreneur and business owner Donna Montgomery started a movement called #ICanToo, which is designed to shine a light on positive men in the community and help men build confidence, while also raising funds for individuals and families in need. And this year the movement, which has grown into an annual event called Men That Win, included a gala-style ceremony and a fashion show, and was bigger than ever. 

Montgomery, who is the owner of Montgomery Care Services, LLC, a licensed home health agency, said she got the idea for the #ICanToo movement from a client who loved to buy new clothes. When Montgomery found out how much he loved clothes, she told her client that if he saved his money for a month, she would  take him shopping and set up an entire fashion show so he could show off his new clothes. Although she didn’t know it at the time, the #ICanToo movement was born. 

A month later, Montgomery produced an amazing fashion show that featured more than a dozen models who had intellectual developmental disabilities, were disabled, amputees, and had other physical challenges. Montgomery said her goal with the fashion show and the movement was all about changing the mindset.

“I’m a strong believer that you can do whatever you put your mind to and that’s the message I wanted to send with #ICanToo,” Montgomery said. “When I started this in 2020, I had no idea it would grow into this.”

Since the first fashion show in 2020 the event has grown every year.  And every year more and more men volunteer to participate in the fashion show and support the #ICanToo movement. “There were a couple of single dads who wanted to support the movement and when they came they started giving testimonies about being single parents or working for a corporation where it’s always the CEO or the vice president getting all the accolades and recognition,” Montgomery explained. 

“Although they were putting in all the long hours doing the hard work, these were men who never seemed to get the acknowledgment. So this is what I call my unsung heroes.”

Honorees at this year’s Men That Win event included Rev. Dr. S. Wayne Patterson, William Nixon, Steven Floyd, Darryl Gordon, Antonio Stevenson, Assistant Chief William Weaver, Kendrick Leak, Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough, Henry Harper and Braxton Langston-Chapman.

In addition to the fashion show and honoring men in the community, ticket sales for the event go toward what Montgomery calls a “living scholarship,” which goes to the living expenses of a deserving individual or family. The recipient of this year’s scholarship was Chris Simon. 

Earlier this year Simon’s wife had an aneurysm and was left paralyzed, which placed the responsibility of raising three young children all on him. “To watch him have to take on all responsibilities of what his wife would have normally done as a mother was a shock for him,” Montgomery said. 

To help his wife travel to doctors’ appointments and other places, the Simon family was in need of a handicap accessible van and that’s where Montgomery stepped in. With the donations from the event, Montgomery was able to put a down payment on a van for the Simon family. 

“We decided this year the money that we raised would go directly to the dealership to help them purchase that handicap accessible van,” Montgomery said. 

While the event has grown tremendously in just four years, Montgomery said this is only the beginning. She said her ultimate goal is to continue to grow into an organization that helps those in need throughout the year.

For more information on the #ICanToo movement or Men That Win or to find out how to make a donation, contact Donna Montgomery at 336-618-3015.