top of page

ABOUT US

ichooseup logo circle.png

​​Vision Statement

Ben Speaks… creating a culture where youth and families have access to the resources and support they need to empower themselves.

​

​​​​Our Mission

Ben Speaks provides positive channels of expression and empowerment for a whole person approach to wellness through clinical and holistic resources and education.

​Core Values

Empowerment: Empower youth and families to take control of their lives by providing tools and resources to make positive choices


Wellness: Promote a whole person approach by integrating holistic and clinical techniques and methodologies


Community and Collaboration: Collaborate with other agencies/partners; be a key player facilitating access to available resources in the larger community


Accountable: Serve as honest, transparent and ethical stewards of resources entrusted to us; have necessary organizational structure and internal controls.

 

​

 

Who is a Ben?

A Ben is artistic, creative, intuitive, sensitive, and high empath  

A Ben is unique and beats to his/her/their own drum  

A Ben is a kinesthetic and visual learner 

A Ben is labelled with a mental illness or learning disability at an early age 

A Ben is a daydreamer and can become easily distracted 

He or she does not fit the mainstream box – Is a round peg! 

A Ben resists control and thwarts authority   

A Ben is often medicated early in life 

A Ben feels like a misfit and struggles to fit in 

A Ben is an easy mark for the bully or becomes one  

A Ben often develops a strong inner critic 

A Ben tends to self-harm in some way as a teenager 

A Ben can become isolated and left out   

A Ben often suffers with social anxiety & depression 

A Ben is high risk for becoming a statistic TODAY!   

A Ben is not broken 

A Ben has one or many gifts to bring to the world and if nurtured is a future entrepreneur, out of the box thinker and creator of inventions that could potentially save this planet.   

 

There is a little bit of Ben in all of us!   

​

A Ben is NOT broken. A Ben has gifts to bring to the world. There is a little bit of Ben in all of us.

word-cloud-ben-speaks-web.jpg

BEN SPEAKS PLEDGE

​The Pledge

I pledge allegiance

To be myself
And to BE a stand for change!

To take full responsibility

For my thoughts, words, feelings and actions

To treat myself and all those around me

With kindness and respect

To trust my gifts

To put my energy into growing myself fully

To be a voice for a world where all human beings

Are loved and accepted for who they are

One World

Under Grace

Indivisible

With Dignity

and true justice for ALL

 

​

 

Judy Giovangelo,

Ben Speaks Founder & Vice President 

Judy Giovangelo (Ben's Mom) is bringing awareness through Power of Choice presentations & workshops for youth, family and community groups. She brings the message that each of us,including our children, are 100% responsible for our individual thoughts, words, feelings, actions and reactions and reminds us that we are the creators of our own experience bringing positive tools for change.

Through Ben Speaks Resource Office in Holliston MA, families can access a full spectrum of resources.  Go to our Community Partners page to access all of them.  Resources include: Emergency, Grief Support, Therapeutic, Healing, Mental Health, Addiction, Nutrition & Expressive Arts.

“My family suffered greatly as result of a mental illness that was not supported by our community and society.  There were limited resources and outlets for our energetic, out of the box, highly creative child.   Our son, Ben, chose to take his life on April 16, 2009. He was just 18 years old. Ben was a creative, authentic, empathic, sensitive, highly intuitive young man and had a lot to share. Had he been given creative channels to direct his high level of energy and had adequate resources to manage his mental health, perhaps he would still be with us today. I have heard hundreds of stories from other families dealing with similar issues. We would like to create new and innovative solutions to give our children a positive outlet to express themselves and the tools to fully manifest their dreams no matter what challenges they face.”

 

- Judy Giovangelo

 

​

​

​

​

circle-judy.png
bottom of page