News Briefs

CAPIc’s Board holds 49th Annual Meeting

The Community Action Programs Inter-City, Inc. (CAPIC) Board of Directors recently conducted their 49th meeting of the Corporation. The meeting was conducted at the CAPIC After School Program facility, located at 92 Arlington Street in Chelsea. The meeting was attended by members of the Board, staff, and community residents. Elected for a one-year term as President was Richelle Cromwell of Chelsea, with Lanre Olusekun of Revere elected as Vice President, Louis Ciarlone of Revere serving second year as Treasurer and Angie Catrone of Revere as Clerk.

CAPIC’s Executive Director Bob Repucci presented the 49th Annual Report to the Corporation and highlighted the accomplishments of the year, which included providing self-sufficiency based services to over 15,000 persons and the implementation of the Chelsea Community Navigator/Chelsea Housing & Basic Support Program.  The goal of this grant program is to reduce alcohol and opioid use and abuse within Chelsea and to address the issues faced by individuals suffering from alcohol and substance use and provide access to treatment, transitional housing, and resources to support individuals identified through the Chelsea Community Health Navigators.  The establishment of CAPIC’s Mobile Outreach Team and partnership with MGH to provide street medicine was also highlighted; both programs work closely with the Chelsea Police Department, North Suffolk Mental Health Association and the Chelsea Community Health Navigators.

In the Awards segment of the meeting, the Agency recognized employees who completed various years of service, which included: 5 Years: Nancy Martinez, Fuel Assistance Program Generalist, Adelyn Santos, Head Start Assistant Teacher, and Danielle Pazos, Head Start Education/Curriculum Coordinator; 10 Years:  Sonia Rivera, Fuel Assistance Program Generalist , Ana Baeza, Head Start Assistant Teacher, Irma Mendoza, Head Start Assistant Teacher, and  Azucena Caraballo, Payee Generalist for Responsible Payee Program; 15 Years:   Shelly Thimmer, Assistant Fiscal Manager, Marilyn Murphy, Energy Program Director, and Celia Florio, Head Start Assistant Teacher; 20 Years:  Jeanne Palleschi, Head Start Family Advocate; 25 Years:  Carol Gayhart, Lead Teacher for Head Start Program, and 35 Years: Nancy Ciarlone, Head Start Health Coordinator.

Also, CAPIC’s Annual Cromwell Scholarship were presented to Ruby Rodriguez, with the Annual Mikaelian Scholarship being awarded to William Estrada. The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the William R. Restuccia Memorial Scholarship Award. In this first year, recognizing the accomplishments of Bill Restuccia, the award was presented to CAPIC Employee Denise Letizia, Jr.. Bill’s family was there to present the Scholarship and receive a plaque commemorating appreciation.

CAPIC is the Federal and State designated Community Action Agency serving low- income residents of Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop. The organization strives to assist families to achieve self-sufficiency through the creation of innovative programs to remove the barriers that prevent people from attaining a better quality of life. For further information please visit CAPIC’s web-site www.capicinc.org<http://www.capicinc.org> or call 617-884-6130.

REVERE POLICE RECEIVE GRANT TO GET IMPAIRED DRIVERS OFF THE ROAD

Mayor Brian Arrigo and Chief of Police Joseph Cafarelli recently announced that the Revere Police Department will be increasing the number of impaired driving patrols over the holidays through a special grant from the Highway Safety Division (HSD) of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS).

The Revere Police Department will join more than 200 local police departments across the state and the State Police in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization.

“Continuing into the New Year, you will see stepped up enforcement watching closely for anyone who is driving impaired,” said Chief Cafarelli.  “We are taking a zero tolerance approach to impaired driving this holiday season to keep our roads safe for all motorists.”

 “Drivers who will be celebrating this holiday season should plan for a sober ride home before they go out,” said Jeff Larason, Director of the Highway Safety Division. “We want all drivers to remember the responsibility they have to drive safely and to avoid getting behind the wheel if they’re impaired. Crashes caused by an impaired driver are preventable.”

Nationally, nearly one in three people (29 percent) were killed last year in motor vehicle crashes in which alcohol was a factor, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Tips for motorists:

Plan for a sober ride home before celebrating this holiday season. Use a ride sharing or taxi service, the MBTA, or a designated driver if you will be consuming alcohol and then traveling.

If someone you know has been drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.  Take their keys, take them home, or help them arrange a safe way home.

Stay in control by wearing your seat belt on every trip. Seat belts keep drivers behind the wheel in a crash.

Stay off your devices when driving.