By Journal Staff
The Revere Commission on Disabilities (COD) held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, March 11, via Zoom. Chair Ralph DeCicco,, Mario Grimanis, Annemarie Fiore, Ellie Vargas, and Jason Barone-Cichocki were on hand for the session.
DeCicco opened the meeting by noting that he had sent the letter that the commission had approved at its last meeting regarding Revere Beach crossing safety to State Rep. Jeffrey Turco. The commissioners are asking that the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) install pedestrian crossing signals and other safety measures in order to make Revere Beach safer and more accessible, particularly for those with disabilities.
DeCicco also noted that he had met with Jen Duggan from the Revere Parks and Recreation Department, who in turn was set to meet with a representative from the Community Music Center of Boston, to discuss the logistics of conducting a music therapy program for persons with disabilities in the Rec. Dept.’s facilities.
“Parks and Rec. is very amenable to helping us bring this program to Revere,” said DeCicco. The commission, particularly Fiore, has been working on this issue since October and the commissioners are hopeful it may be able to start in April.
DeCicco also informed his fellow members about the most recent meeting of the Commissions on Disabilities Alliance (CODA) that he attended. DeCicco presented the following updates:
— The Disability Policy Consortium (DPC) mentioned that they have released their 2025 Advocacy Agenda, which can be found on their website;
— The DPC also mentioned that the Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) has faced financial challenges. The disability community relies heavily on this agency, so DPC has asked the state to take the CCA into receivership;
— The DPC mentioned they are evaluating how they will support advocacy with their state and local partners on the federal level; and
–The Newburyport COD member gave an update on that community’s implementation of the Project Lifesaver program. The Newburyport Police Department will begin training soon.
According to Project Lifesaver’s website, “Project Lifesaver is the premier search and rescue program operated internationally by public safety agencies, and is strategically designed for ‘at risk’ individuals who are prone to the life-threatening behavior of wandering. The primary mission of Project Lifesaver is to provide timely response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children with the propensity to wander due to a cognitive condition.”
However, DeCicco saved the big news of the evening for last, when he announced that for the second year in a row, the Revere COD’s application for a grant from Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Better Beaches program to hold an All Abilities Day at Revere Beach this summer has been approved. This marks the second straight year in which Revere has received a grant from the organization.
DeCicco noted that this year the Revere COD was one of just 75 grant recipients out of 168 applicants. He also noted that the Revere COD was awarded a grant of $5000, which was an increase from the $3500 grant that the COD received in 2024.
“This means that we will be able to conduct an even bigger and better program this year,” said DeCicco, who noted that the Revere COD still needs to apply to the DCR in order to obtain a permit for the event, which he said will take place on a Saturday in August.
Last year’s inaugural event, which was supported by staff from the Parks and Rec. Dept., was a big success, enabling many persons with disabilities to enjoy Revere Beach by means of equipment and other amenities designed for those with disabilities.
The meeting concluded with DeCicco presenting the monthly reminder:
“The Commission on Disabilities office number is 781-286-8267. Residents can also call Revere 311 directly and speak to their staff Monday through Friday. They will answer most questions, but if they cannot or if you want to talk to our department directly, ask to be transferred to the Disability office. Please leave a detailed message, and someone will get back to you soon.
“As always, don’t hesitate to contact us if you want something discussed or added to our monthly meeting agenda. You can also let us know if you want to discuss any concerns. The Commission is here to help and assist all the disabled residents and families of Revere.”
In addition, the commission’s agenda noted,
“Spanish interpretation is available upon request, 48 business hours in advance. Please contact Asmaa Abou-Fouda at [email protected], 781-286-8100 ext. 20215.”
“Se ofrece interpretación al español con previa solicitud, con 48 horas laborables de anticipación. Póngase en contacto con Asmaa Abou-Fouda al [email protected], 781-286-8100 ext. 20215.” The next meeting of the commission (via Zoom) is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8 at 6:00 p.m
