Live for Thomas expands Den 22 and school outreach after son's 2019 death

Amy Ocasio, the mother of Thomas Ocasio and president of the Live for Thomas Foundation, said her family launched the nonprofit after Thomas died by suicide on July 28, 2019.

"We're not going to forget him," Ocasio said, describing the decision to convert grief into an organization aimed at preventing other families from suffering the same loss. The foundation put up a billboard in September 2019 and filed nonprofit paperwork in 2020, she said.

The foundation runs Den 22, a drop-in suicide-prevention program for people ages 12 to 24 that leaders say is open seven days a week and provides peer support, activities and crisis intervention. "We are getting it out there, and we're just gonna continue to do that," Ocasio said.

Danielle Speck Hapner, Den 22's program manager, said the center offers a safe place where young people can decompress, connect with peer-support staff and join scheduled activities. The program also runs dinner nights every Tuesday and Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m., Hapner said, adding that volunteers must complete an application, interview and background check.

"When kids come through the door, often we're seeing them at some of their lowest points," Hapner said. She described observed changes in attendees'mood and behavior over time, including increased self-worth, goal-setting and stronger social support networks.

The foundation also has carried the Power of Expression program into five high schools (facilitated by the El Allee Foundation) and helped implement the first Hope Squad and a junior Hope Squad program in Maryland, Ocasio said. She said plans call for expanding Hope Squads to additional schools.

Funding is primarily from grants, donations and fundraisers, Ocasio said. She identified one source of support for Den 22 as funding provided through the Blueprint for Maryland's Future via the Maryland Consortium on Coordinated Community Supports Program, which covered staff, training and allowed Den 22 to offer services for free.

Kelly Zimmerman, who coordinates the foundation's mental-health awareness talks for student athletes and speaks from her experience as a suicide-loss survivor, said the group works with coaches and athletic directors to set up short, coach-friendly presentations. "I get to bring Brian with me to work every single day," Zimmerman said, referring to her family member and her work in sharing lived experience.

Zimmerman described privacy and follow-up protocols after talks: she stays available after presentations, coordinates discreet check-ins through coaches, and sometimes follows up one-on-one with students who want private support.

The foundation emphasizes crisis resources: Ocasio urged families and young people to use the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is available by call or text 24/7.

Members and volunteers gave on-the-record testimonials about the foundation's local impact. Mikaela Ocasio, vice president and cofounder and Thomas's sister, said helping others has been a way to honor her brother. Mark Mose, head wrestling coach at Northeast High School in Cecil County, said the foundation's talks have created safe opportunities for athletes to discuss mental health. Den 22 participants and peer leaders described finding new coping skills, consistent support and a sense of community.

For contact and more information, speakers directed listeners to liveforthomas.org and provided a staff email for outreach (kelly@liveforthomas.org). The segment closed with the foundation's leaders urging families to watch for signs of distress, to use crisis resources such as 988, and to consider Den 22 and school programs as part of local prevention efforts.

The program did not announce new legislation, formal partnerships with county agencies, nor specific budget figures beyond grant sources; speakers described funding sources by program and said most operations rely on grants and donations.