On Friday, Sept. 28, the Rhode Island Dream Center, (RIDC), held its 2nd annual Night of Dreams Gala & Fundraiser at the Cranston Country Club. It was a great success as over 120 people attended the event to raise approximately $5,000 to continue to serve the homeless and impoverished people in Rhode Island.

Ramona Brown, Advisory Board President, kicked off the night and thanked all who were in attendance, including sponsors: Ed Brady, who owns and operates the Thirsty Beaver Pub & Grub in Cranston & Smithfield; Milk Money Restaurant in Providence and the Pink Pig Barbecue in Warwick & Jamestown as well as 4 Corners Coffee in Warwick, David Hayes, Owner of D & H Collision on Elmwood Avenue in Warwick and Blum Shapiro in Cranston.

“These three sponsors made this night possible in a very big way. Not only did they provide much needed funds for expenses but invited many people who can help the RIDC grow,” said Artie Russo, Director of the RI Dream Center.

“The Rhode Island Dream Center focuses on feeding, clothing and educating those who are impoverished and are looking for a chance, a hand up not a hand out,” said Russo. “They are living at the poverty level and cannot make ends meet and are 1 paycheck away from being homeless.”

Although the National average for homeless folks has slightly dipped in the U.S., Rhode Island has inched up over the last few years. Families, children, veterans, disabled and impoverished folks are in need and the Dream Center does all they can to meet those needs.

One way is through the Food Truck, which gets out every night in Providence and Cranston to take the food directly to those folks. Six nights and Saturday morning that truck delivers on the street and to shelters, etc. to feed the hungry.

“Another connection is with our community. We work with the City of Cranston and great Representatives like Ken Hopkins, Chris Paplauskas and Ed Brady to restore and renovate run down playgrounds and basketball courts and other areas to get our kids playing in safe and clean environments,” said Russo.

A great addition to this year’s event was guest emcee, Rhonda Corey, a well-known comedian.

“She kept us all laughing. And, providing some fabulous music and entertainment was “Kalifornia” Karl Detken. What a showman. From Frank Sinatra to the Beatles and back, he sang all the classics. Rounding out the night was the Guest Speaker, Michael Cooley, author of the Book: “From the Streets to Success – Rock Bottom.”

Cooley told his heart-wrenching story of growing up abused and homeless in Missouri and Texas. He had everyone on the edge of their seat and a tear in their eye. From those days he has climbed to a Senior Vice President Role in a major health company and has filled the CEO role in his prior role.

“Michael made us all think that there is no prejudice to homelessness, abuse, mental disease, etc.,” said Russo.

When Michael Cooley returned to his childhood home in St. Louis, many of his old friends offered him this greeting: 'Cooley, I thought you were dead.' And by many accounts, he should have been dead. Michael Cooley was a member of two dysfunctional families. His mother in St. Louis was an alcoholic. His stepmother and stepbrothers in Gainesville, Texas, abused him relentlessly, both physically and verbally.

As a child, Cooley bounced from school to school and from city to city. As a teenager, he turned to gangs and drugs for a sense of acceptance. Eventually, he ended up homeless, sleeping on rooftops and in alleys, and living out of his car. But after living as an abused child, a homeless and drug-addicted teenager, and a completely lost young adult, he decided to start over as a different person. Rock Bottom-From the Streets to Success tells his story from his childhood in the 1960s until today.

Cooley escapes the darkness of his past and eventually puts his life back together to become a success in business and in his personal life.