rize massachusetts foundation grant

  Frontline Funds: Supporting Youth and Families Affected by Opioid Use Disorder 

Ricky, Inc. is happy to announce that we were awarded a Rize Massachusetts Frontline Grant this year. We distributed the funds equally among four great organizations: Access (Cambridge), Behavioral Health Network (Dorchester), Waltham House and Youth On Fire (Cambridge). We have maintained a constant relationship with these organizations throughout the past 4 years and have made many different donations to their programs and clients.

 RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (RIZE) is the only public-private partnership solely dedicated to funding solutions to end the overdose crisis. Guided by those with lived experience and unafraid of new ideas, RIZE is building networks, creating programming, and supporting community partners who are using novel approaches to prevent overdose and increase access to treatment. 

On Thursday Nov. 16, 2023 Ricky, Inc. visited Youth On Fire in Harvard Square Cambridge and delivered numerous goods and materials for this fantastic facility and organization to distribute to their clients.

YOF serves young people aged 14-24 and provides basic necessities, clothing, hot meals, showers, laundry facilitates, medical care, mental health counseling and many other community resources including HIV awareness and prevention.

Pictured above on the left is the 

Youth On Fire Site Coordinator 

Katherine Sloss-Hartman

www.harvardsquare.com/venue/youth-on-fire/

The Youth On Fire drop In center is open five days a week and is a welcoming and non-judgmental environment for homeless and street-involved youth.

Ricky, Inc. provided many different items including gift cards to Dunkin Donuts, Stop & Shop and MBTA Passes.

We also delivered the usual winter hats, gloves and fleece blankets, as well as multiple cellphone charging ports, hair brushes, books, games, personal journals and art supplies.

Thank you to YOF for the great work they do in supporting and helping these young people navigate their personal journey through crisis.

On Thursday Nov. 30, 2023 Ricky, Inc. visited the Behavioral Health Network Dorchester Family Center.

BHN is a residential substance use treatment program for pregnant and parenting women with children in their care up to age 18. The program provides women-centered, trauma-informed care and evidence-based substance use treatment services, with a goal of successful family reunification and long-term family stabilization.

Ricky, Inc. provided many different items including numerous gift cards to Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds.

We provided each of the women and their children with a filled personalized gift bag that included winter hats, gloves, socks, underwear, Fleece blankets, hygiene products, shampoo & conditioner, baby clothing, bedding and an age-appropriate toy for every child.

Thank you to Program Director 

Elizabeth James-Divens

www.bhninc.org/location/dorchester-family-center

On Thursday Dec. 7, 2023 Ricky, Inc. made a delivery to the Waltham House - Home for little wanderers (Waltham, MA.)

 Waltham House is the first residential group home in New England designed specifically for LGBTQ+ youth, and was among the first of its kind in the nation when it opened in 2002. Its founding principles are that every child deserves to live in an environment in which they feel safe, respected, supported and cared for by those around them. 

We provided each resident with an individual gift bag filled with numerous personal hygiene products, fleece blanket, winter hat & gloves, socks, water bottle, sunglasses, journal, fidget toy, backpack and a $10 Dunkin Donuts gift card.

We also provided the house with a Dave & Busters gift card for a house-outing for food and games, tomato cages for their garden, adult coloring books, 2 multiple-port cellphone charging stations, tampax, books, board games, bracelet making kit, art supplies and a Yobi Bean chair.

Thank you to the House Manager 

Alysaa Gunn

www.thehome.org/programs/waltham-house/

On Wednesday Dec. 20, 2023 Ricky, Inc. visited the Access Program in Cambridge.

  Access Drug User Health Program

One of several state-sanctioned and state-funded syringe exchange programs in Massachusetts, AIDS Action’s Access: Drug User Health Program distributes and exchanges syringes to people who inject drugs (PWID). This program is one of the state’s pilot sites for the distribution of Narcan, a nasal spray provided to IDUs and their network of supportive family and friends to reverse potentially fatal overdoses.

The program also operates a drop-in center where members can access many different resources, clothing, hygiene products, condoms, risk reduction supplies, substance use counseling, medical care and referrals.

Ricky, Inc. delivered many supplies for the staff to distribute to persons as needed including, backpacks, hand warmers, winter hats & gloves, men's & women's socks, min-blankets, thermal mylar emergency blankets, men's & women's underwear, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toothbrush holders, combs and Blistex. 

Pictured above with the boxes of donated materials is (L-R);

 Brian Sink - Program Manager 

Brielle Carelli -Post Over-Dose Outreach Specialist 

Rich Giacoppo -Ricky, Inc. President 

Lindsey Chen - Clinic Coordinator

Berit Lindell - Clinic Coordinator 

Jessica Alpert - Harm Reduction Case Manager 

Michelle Bordeau -Vice President of Public Health Prevention programs of Fenway Health

 AIDS Action (fenwayhealth.org)