Meet Bob Zaccheo
Bob Zaccheo was raised in Jensen Beach, Florida, and he has been a resident of Martin County for over 35 years. After graduating from Widener University in Pennsylvania his desire to help others ignited at a non-for-profit outreach for troubled youth in Gainesville, Florida. He later returned to his hometown and further advanced his education and experience with a master's degree in Clinical Psychology at Florida Atlantic University. He found serving others to be a perfect fit for his life calling. Staying rooted in community service drives him to be an example to his children.
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| Bob "Bobby" Zaccheo |
Project L.I.F.T.
Bob "Bobby" Zaccheo has been working with at-risk youth for over 15 years. He is a licensened psychotherapist and substance abuse expert in Martin County and provides group, individual, family, and substance abuse treatment and prevention. He is currently the Executive Director of Project L.I.F.T. inc. a teen substance abuse and vocational skills building program in Stuart.
Bob says, "Project LIFT (Life Initiative For Teens) began in March 2010 as a licensened Psychotherapist and Substance Abuse Expert I struggled to find a way to connect with teenage boys in my office setting at a non-profit mental health agency in Martin County, FL. With a focus on substance abuse counseling and one of the few male therapists in the office, I was constantly assigned cases of young teenage boys who refused to participate in the therapy sessions. I knew I needed to get creative, and I recognized the key to success was to get them out of the office and provide incentives to keep them motivated toward life improvement.
"Before beginning Project LIFT, I interviewed teenage boys and learned many wanted to learn a trade or work on cars. So I invited five teens to participate in an intensive 14-week session combining occupational skill development, substance abuse treatment, group and individual mental health therapy and mentoring.
"Under the guidance of licensed volunteer tradesmen, the teens gutted and renovated a small building on the property of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County’s Palm City branch. After school, the boys would complete their homework and then begin working on the building. For a small stipend, the boys tiled, replaced fixtures, painted and cleaned the inside and patio. After a few hours of work each day, they would break for a family-style dinner, followed by a group substance abuse treatment session. Six months later, the Boys & Girls Club began using the facility as a teen center, and four of the five original boys were still involved in Project LIFT and remained sober and focused on a positive future.
"In July 2010, Project LIFT was invited to work at the old and unused Maritime Yacht & Classic Boat Museum in Stuart. There, they were able to use large garage space to repair old cars and boats. During that year, seven cars were donated to the program, five of those vehicles were repaired and given to needy families. The group also provided nine no-cost repairs to disadvantaged people as part of the service-learning initiative within the Project LIFT model.
"In May 2011, Project LIFT received a 501(c)3 non-profit designation, solidified a strong, active board of directors and began in earnest the effort to expand the program.
"Today Project LIFT has worked with over 125 Sustance Dependent youth in Martin County, given away 17 cars to needy families, completed over 200 no cost repairs, and provided over 250 repaired bicycles to the homeless and less fortunate.....literally affecting the lives of thousands of people with its service learning member driven programs. Project LIFT boasts an outstanding success rate of 84.7% through its substance abuse program while working with the most difficult youth in the community. The board envision an expansion of its very unique program and is focused on awareness and fundraising efforts during the next year to meet the demands of a rapidly growing waiting list and ever-present need of reducing substance abuse, academic failures and delinquent behaviors the youth in Martin County."
Please visit the ProjectLift Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ProjectLIFT to find out more about what Bob does.
What Matters Most to Bob
Bob says, "My life journey has been with my awesome wife and high school sweetheart, Katie, who is also a Family Nurse Practitioner and our three children Liam 12, Gabriella 10, and Alana 2. I am highly devoted to raising our children to be the best of their abilities. We focus on growing their faith, building meaningful relationships, and to hold academics as a top priority. I also have a long standing passion for sports and my wife and I help coach the kids' teams. My family and I spend time together volunteering, going camping, surfing and traveling as a family!
The most imortant thing that I do, as it relates to serving, is I get a very clear opportunity to show my children by example that when you serve others your life will be rich. The true gift is in seeing my own children giving selflessly to others! My personal family goal is to create a legacy of giving!"
Bob's Personal Mission
Bob's personal mission is to inspire people with support that encourages them to explore, to challenge themselves physically and mentally and to interact with positive people.
Bob's Favorite Quote(s) or Words to Live By:
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.' ~ Acts 20:35, Holy Bible
You can find other honorees by clicking on the links below:
Rob Crowder / Curtis Whiticar
Mindi Fetterman / Margie Jordan
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