Recognizing, Honoring, Celebrating, and Thanking Dr. Joseph F. Ruggiero on the Occasion of his Retirement as CEO of Self Help Movement, Inc.

WHEREAS, Joseph Francis Ruggiero, Ph.D., Mother of the Savior High School '62, Antioch University, B.A.' 74 and M.A.'81, Pacific Western, Ph.D.'82, the only child of the late John and Marie Ruggiero, was born and raised in South Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ruggiero, in 1967, while a Probation Officer with the Philadelphia Adult Department, founded Self Help Movement, Inc. as an outpatient drug rehabilitation program for probationers and parolees; and

WHEREAS, Self Help Movement, Inc. incorporated as a private, non-profit corporation in 1975, and that same year, Dr. Ruggiero, along with the Honorable James Cavanaugh, petitioned the state to lease a small residential center for drug abusers on the grounds of Philadelphia State Hospital, known as Byberry; and

WHEREAS, Demands for residential services increased through the years requiring Self Help Movement, Inc. to expand to its present day facility, a gated community campus on Southampton Road in Northeast Philadelphia with over fifty staff members; and

WHEREAS, In April, 2005, Self Help Movement, Inc. was awarded “Program of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Certification Board, and on October 16, 2008, was awarded a Congressional Certificate of Special Recognition for forty-one years of helping people recover from drug and alcohol addiction; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ruggiero, in addition to fulfilling his responsibilities as CEO of Self Help Movement, Inc., has authored two novels,

A Rose on Ninth Street

and

Raggabooty

, and is currently working on a third book entitled

Crystal Umbrella

; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ruggiero and his wife, Bernadette Ann, have five children, eight grandchildren, and happily reside in Bristol, Pennsylvania.

BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it recognizes, honors, celebrates, and thanks Dr. Joseph F. Ruggiero on the occasion of his retirement as CEO of Self Help Movement, Inc.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Joseph F. Ruggiero further evidencing the sincere admiration and gratitude of this legislative body.

End