As a teen, Riccardo Dale was a troubled youth at risk, coming from, in his words, “a rough background without the family support that I needed.” When mentors stepped forward to help him, his path was changed for the better—attending a private high school for free, followed by Rowan University on a full scholarship. It was during his first year at Rowan that this impressive young man decided to give back to his community and change the lives of others who might otherwise fall into a life of illegal activities and jail time.
Riccardo, a 2024 Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award honoree, founded Free All Minds Academy (F.A.M.), a service program for at-risk and underprivileged youth from 8th grade into adulthood, during his sophomore year. Through F.A.M., mentors meet with students every week to offer personalized guidance, support, and much more.
“I had been in the same position as my neighborhood peers until mentors gave me fresh opportunities and a fresh start. Similarly, the mentors at Free All Minds Academy prepare our participants for college, trade school, or a career so they can go on to live productive lives,” said Riccardo, who at 26 is also the youngest city councilman in Beverly, in Burlington County. “They have family dinners with them, tutor them, and talk about what’s going on in their lives. We really create a family environment for these young men.”
From a rough start to a nonprofit leader
As Riccardo explains, “I was sleeping in a basement and failing classes until someone came along to turn me into somebody who was excelling at a private school and then going to college on a full scholarship. I thought about what I could do for other young men who are just like myself…how many other Riccardos are out there who just need an opportunity? So, I decided to tap into those groups of kids.”
Through its preventative programming, the organization aims to decrease the percentage of young men who become incarcerated and increase the number of young men who are employed and/or college educated.
Of note is that all the young people in the Free All Minds Academy who are being tutored and mentored have a 100% high school graduation rate—an accomplishment Riccardo credits to the environment he and his team create as well as recognizing that the education system and academic achievement are not always effective or appealing to all students.
“We figure out what every individual kid is interested in and then we use their interest to inspire them and push them to do well academically,” he explained.
In addition to academics, the organization instills the skills needed for strong emotional and physical health and professional success through its programs and workshops.
Bolstering the impressive high school graduation rate, 96% of F.A.M. participants are accepted into post-secondary educational institutions and to date have received $1.4 million in scholarships. The nonprofit has supported more than 10,000 students in South Jersey and the Philadelphia area.
“It feels good to be recognized”
When asked how he felt attending the annual awards ceremony this past May, Riccardo said,
“You don’t do the work for the recognition but it feels good to know that somebody’s behind you and that a group like the Russ Berrie Foundation and Ramapo College recognize the work I’m doing. It gets hard when you’re trying to build something and there are setbacks…you’re trying to make this impact but you struggle. It is fulfilling to know that other people are here supporting you and you’re not doing this by yourself.”
You can follow Free All Minds Academy on X (@fam_aau) and Instagram (@fam_nonprofit) and read all about its programs at www.freeallminds.org.