“I challenged myself years ago to do something that was good for other people and get into a volunteer mentality, and I found Phoenix Youth at Risk,” Paparelli said. As a youth mentor and coach for the organization, Paparelli creates ongoing relationships with kids who otherwise would not have a positive influence in their lives.

Phoenix Youth at Risk is a goal-based mentoring program dedicated to supporting youth, including those who are homeless, neglected and those more likely to be involved in drugs and gang life.

“I think it’s important for the kids to have mentors … because we’re another adult in their life that doesn’t judge them. We’re someone for them to be around, to emulate, to learn from, to have the ability to ask questions about things that they may not feel comfortable talking to someone else about,” Paparelli said.

Recognition of Service
As a result of his positive outreach and service efforts in the Phoenix community, Paparelli was honored with a Local Hero award from Bank of America, one of hundreds awarded across the country last year as part of the bank’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative. “The real heroes are the people that we do the work for. We’re just vessels for them to take a step up when they didn’t think they could,” Paparelli said.

Making a Difference
It’s Paparelli’s goal to create a place that provides kids with opportunities and encourages them to believe that anything is possible. He teaches kids that success is a choice and that circumstances should not hold one back from achieving success. “The best way to get kids to reach beyond what they think is possible is to actually get them involved in projects or goals [and to make them] see past where they’re at,” he said.

When not working with Phoenix Youth at Risk, Paparelli is continually finding ways to serve others in his community and providing those who need it most with opportunities. “I wake up most days and ask myself who can I serve today…who can I do something nice [for] whether it’s a smile or a call to remind them that [they’re] important to me,” he said.

Paparelli is also a co-founder of the AZ Eagles, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization devoted to supporting an array of charities in the Phoenix area. Most recently, Paparelli has become a relationship coach, offering life guidance and advice to those using his services.

“It’s no coincidence that the more I’m involved in volunteering and giving and supporting others, the more blessed I am in my life,” Paparelli said, “If I help even one child to go to school, graduate, go to college, have a dream or fulfill that dream, exponentially, how many people will that kid touch in his lifetime?” That’s the question that drives this mentor to reach out to even more kids every day.