Entrants's Name: Robert Fazio

Country: United States

Field: Community Development

Innovation - idea: We provide resources and opportunities for people to connect with one another and learn how to grow through loss and adversity and achieve dreams. People learn the philosophy of healing through helping others and how to "move into" their experience rather than move on from their experience.

www.holdthedoor.com

Innovation - why it is pioneering: People focus on the negative consequences of trauma, loss, crisis and adversity. Based on our research on the families of 9-11 and experiences, we created the OTHERS(S) model. It is a foundation, people learn not only how to survive, but how to thrive. People use their strengths to work on their areas of development and learn how to prepare for live with and grow through loss and a adversity. www.holdthedoor.comwww.holdthedoor.comwww.holdthedoor.com

Strategy - how it achieves impact: Impact is created through inviting people to self-connect, self-care and self challenge. Through these procesess people can learn how to leverage the OTHERS(S) resources. These resources enhance people's lives and allow them to heal through helping others. www.holdthedoor.com

Strategy - growth plans: Our plans are to eventually have Hold The Door Day expand beyond one city. We intend to continue practicing outreach and empowering people to apply the philosophies and help others. We have a vision for a Hold The Door homeroom progams that teaches children the value of compassion.

Impact to date: We have reached out and helped people in the aftermath of the Tsunami, September 11th, and Hurricane Katrina. We have inspired people to take initiative and use turn their feelings of despair or grief into a passion for helping othrs. People have created their own initiatives as a result of their connection with Hold The Door. www.holdthedoor.com

Future impact: In the future people will know that there is no escape from challenge and adversity in our lives. People will be better prepared for both natural and unatural events critical life events. The better people are prepared, the more likely they will be to not only manage the experience in a healthy way, but will also be able to grow through the experience.www.holdthedoor.comwww.holdthedoor.com

Sustainability - resource base: Currently we are supported by individuals who believe in our mission as well as a local business.www.holdthedoor.com

Major challenge for the field: People need to understand that death is the only certain thing in life. Adversity will face us all, but all of us are not willing to face it. People are not always able become aware of their feelings and thoughts and how they influence their physcial health. In today's world, if something is not done more and more people will experience feelings of depression and anxiety rather than living life. www.holdthedoor.com

Contact Information:

Name: Dr. Robert Fazio - President and Co-Founder
Country: United States
Website: www.holdthedoor.com

Bio: Rob Fazio is the President and Co-Founder of Hold The Door For Others. He earned his Master’s degree from Springfield College in Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis in Athletic Counseling and Sport Psychology. He received his undergraduate degree from The Pennsylvania State University where he consulted with a number of athletic teams and organizations. He received an additional Master’s and a Doctorate at Virginia Commonwealth University in Counseling Psychology with a subspecialty in Consulting. He completed his predoctotoral internship at the University of Pennsylvania.

Rob has developed workshops in the areas of networking, effective communication, stress management, communication, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence and performance excellence. He has presented at national conferences including with three past-presidents of the American Psychological Association (APA) on Positive Psychology in the Media. Rob participated in programs that use sport as vehicle to develop the life skills of at-risk youth. He collaborated on the development, implementation, and evaluation of the life skills component for The First Tee program (sponsored by the PGA) and the NFL’s Coach Accreditation Program.

Dr. Fazio served on the executive board for the Society of Consulting Psychology and the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology. Inspired by the tragedy of September 11th , Rob founded the nonprofit organization, Hold The Door For Others, with a mission of empowering people to grow through loss of any kind and still achieve their dreams. He has consulted with theatre companies on projects to use the arts to teach effective emotional competencies to connect losses to dreams. When Rob was in his doctoral program he was the first student in the history of the American Psychological Association to receive a Presidential Citation Award (presented by Dr. Bob Sternberg). Rob has also received the Outstanding VCU Counseling Psychology Student Awarwww.holdthedoor.com