AHOPE, PAATHS, ANDREW HOUSE BOSTON & ANDREW HOUSE STOUGHTON

On Saturday Sept. 25, 2021 Ricky, Inc. participated in the National Drug Epidemic Awareness Walk Across America in Portland Maine. This was sponsored by the Northeast Chapter of Mother's Against Drugs (M.A.D.) 

"A Story Told is a Life Saved"

Participants walked together holding their banners, showing the unity of the organization and supporting the message of "You Never Walk Alone"

https://momsagainstdrugs.com/home-1

MGME news reporter Megan Willgoos featured a lead story on the drug overdose epidemic. To view the Channel 13 news video footage of the event click on the below link, then click on the arrow prompt and also read the attached article below the video 

https://wgme.com/news/local/i-knew-i-had-to-do-something-parents-raise-awareness-on-drug-epidemic-in-maine

DEAWAA's message is about seeing the good in us all and show's the faces of those lost to the opiate crisis.

There were several banners with hundreds of faces of lost loved one's with the title of "Can You See Me Now". A reference to societies stigma about substance use disorder and it's lack of recognition that it is an illness and not a choice.

Legislative support is badly needed across the country to combat this epidemic.

Ricky, Inc. was well represented in Portland by Virginia, Nicholas, Rich, Bernadette & Roxy Giacoppo seen above displaying the banner used at all events.

This local event was organized by 

Susan Lamoureux of the Learn from Lexi Foundation & was held at Ft. Allen Park on the Eastern Prom  

http://www.learnfromlexi.org

Ricky, Inc.'s Board of Director Bernadette Giacoppo works the resource table providing information about treatment, recovery and grief help.  Pictured in the foreground is Nick and his big brother Ricky on a beach in Aruba.

Pictured above (L-R)

Lexi Lamoureux, 

Lost Sept. 21, 2017

Ricky Giacoppo, 

Lost May 11, 2019

These photos were two of the many photos displayed on the Portland Lost Loved One's Blanket that was custom made for this event by Susan Lamoureux and other local Maine families that still endure the pain of losing a loved one to this insidious disease.

On Saturday  October 16, 2021, Bernadette mans the Ricky, Inc. resource table on a windy day during the Family Restored 5k Memorial Walk/Run fund raising event. We distributed resource information booklets and 2 backpacks to a Boston area woman's sober house.

Substance Use Disorder is a disease that doesn't discriminate.

Names will continue to be added to this list year after year until we start treating SUD like the disease and illness that it is.

It's NOT A CHOICE - It's an illness

Let's start treating it like it is!

On Tuesday Oct. 26, 2021, Team Ricky came together to fill 160 backpacks for our Annual Winter Distribution.

(L-R) Jim & Joanne Hurst, Mike Fitzgibbon, Mary & Beverly Rukauskas, 

Bernadette Giacoppo, Lisa Fitzgibbon, 

Jimmy Maroney & Sue Barron. 

Team members not in photo are 

Chrissy Winslow & Rich Giacoppo

The Team proudly displays the Ricky acronym across the back of each tee shirt, Respecting Individuals with Care & Kindness You matter. Our team proves that all people matter regardless of their difficult life crisis situation. 

It takes the caring and love of people like our team to make a real difference in this world.

1 step, 1 day and 1 person at a time.

We do make a difference

Team members systematically fill the personal hygiene packages prior to placing them into the backpacks

The assembly line manned by Mary, Bev, Sue & Joanne with Mike Fitzgibbon and Jimmy Hurst in the foreground

Packing Supervisors Jimmy Maroney and Bernadette Giacoppo maintain quality control of the entire operation 

Bev, Mary & Sue doing the tedious work of putting together the women's hygiene packages

During the long hard night of working on backpacks, close friends Bernadette and Sue Barron took a quick break to pose for a photo. They became very close friends while working together as Social Workers at the Massachusetts Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children MSPCC

Mary & Bev Rukauskas were two of Ricky's very best friends. 

He spent so much time together with the two sisters that he often referred to them as his second family.

They stated that they would love to do anything to honor Ricky and have pledged to continue supporting Ricky, Inc.

Chrissy Winslow was also one of Ricky's very best friends and was considered by him as a family member. It's been a long time since Bernadette has seen Chrissy  and the two shared a warm embrace.

Chrissy said that she was privileged to help keep Ricky's memory alive in any way that she can and wants to continue working to help Ricky, Inc. grow.

Jimmy Maroney and Bernadette Giacoppo share a private moment to discuss the need for the backpacks.

Jim is scheduled to accompany us on a one-day, two program backpack distribution in November at the Andrew House Detox facilities in Jamaica Plain and Stoughton, MA., where we estimate that we will deliver over 60 backpacks to men in recovery treatment.

Joanne Hurst and Lisa Fitzgibbon patiently wait their turn in the staging line as Jimmy and Bev hustle through the packing stations.

Due to the dedication and tireless work of all of the members of Team Ricky, we were able to pack a new one-night packing record of 160 fulled loaded backpacks for our Winter 2021 distribution.

On Sunday Dec. 5, 2021 Norwood Boy Scout Troop 42 Scoutmaster Tom McClintock arrived at Ricky, Inc. in Norwood with his trailer in tow. We loaded the trailer up with materials for the backpacks and transported them to the parking lot of the First Congregational Church in Norwood for assembly.

Once in the parking lot, Scoutmaster McClintock organized several tables for the assembly line for the scouts to use to fill the backpacks

The Scouts of Troop 42 and a few adults were very conscientious and took their time to fill each backpack in the proper manner in which they were instructed. 

Everyone got a special surprise when Santa Claus appeared out of nowhere and starting helping the Scouts with the filling of the backpacks.

Good ole St. Nick had some encouraging words for the kids and wished them well before he and Mrs. Claus were off to another surprise visit.

It takes a community to make a difference of this size, and all of the Scouts worked side-by-side in unison with several adults to complete the project at hand......

"building backpacks for people less fortunate, suffering from homelessness, substance use disorder and in crisis"

Many times during the day I witnessed several of the older Scouts being very patient and teaching some of the younger Scouts the proper way to pack the backpacks.

I was so very proud to see every one of the Scouts taking their time and placing each item in it's designated spot.

Troop 42 was EXCELLENT at their jobs.

The level of discipline that they exhibited was far beyond their young years.

With the open space, numerous tables and many volunteers, the assembly line worked to perfection.

After the hard work of packing backpacks was done, everyone was treated to some Domino's Pizza inside the church.

Thank you to Pastor Michelle Allen for the use of the parking lot and the church hall.

Thanks to all of the Scouts from Troop 42, Scoutmaster McClintock and the adult volunteers, we were able to fill and make ready for distribution 131 backpacks to continue our 

Ricky, Inc. 

Winter 2021-2022 

Backpack Distribution Program.

On Monday Dec. 20, 2021 we delivered 14 backpacks and 14 toys to the female residents of the Behavioral Health Network facility in Dorchester, MA. This great program (formerly know as Phoenix House) reunites mothers in recovery with their children.

BHN will distribute the backpacks and the toys on Christmas morning so the mothers and their children will have presents to open. We were given the ages of the children and Bernadette made sure to provide age-appropriate toys for each child.

Pictured above with Rich are Denise Jones, Clinical Director of the BHN program and current resident Cassandra who will be reuniting with her child for Christmas

Our second delivery on Monday was to the Boston Public Health Commissions programs in Boston at AHOPE & PAATHS.

We delivered at total of 80 backpacks, 2 cases of juice boxes and 2 cases of cookies to these programs who serve all walk-in clients and provide access to valuable services for people in crisis.

Each program received 25 men's backpacks, 15 women's backpacks and a case of juice and cookies each.

Pictured above with Bernadette & Rich are Tyesha Kincade LCSW from PAATHS & Sarah Macklin of AHOPE and her staff, in front of the items that will be given out to the many persons seeking relief from homelessness and Substance Use Disorder (SUD). 

Also included in these winter backpacks along with our standard winter hats, gloves, neck warmer, socks and scarfs are a fleece throw blanket and a thermal blanket in preparation for the upcoming cold temperatures.