For 12 years, the Gerald and Darlene Jordan Boys & Girls Club was MichelAngelo Recupero second home, a place where he found family, opportunity, and a vision for what his life could become. Growing up in Chelsea as a young father, MichelAngelo faced pivotal choices that would shape not only his future but that of his family. The Club gave him the foundation he needed to navigate those choices with courage and purpose.

“The Club helped me evolve outside of my house based on all the different people and the role models that were there,” he reflects. Through programs like Keystone and Allen Iverson camps (“that’s when I got my first pair of Iversons”), MichelAngelo experienced countless “firsts”, his first trip to Charlestown, first NFL game, meeting the Red Sox manager. These experiences opened his eyes to possibilities beyond what he’d known growing up.

Leaders like then-Executive Director Josh Kraft and dedicated staff created a true sense of home, a culture of support and belonging that MichelAngelo would carry with him into every chapter of his life, from military service to fatherhood to community leadership.

A Legacy of Service

Coming from a military family, his father served in the Marines and his brother Frankie, also a Club alum, served in the Army and is now a Chelsea Police Officer, MichelAngelo found his calling in service. While many of his peers struggled to find direction, he chose to enlist in the Army, driven by a desire to serve his country and be the best version of himself for his children and community.

During his military service, MichelAngelo’s MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) was HVAC, where he worked on diagnostics of BTU units, a crucial role, especially in the harsh conditions of Afghanistan. But MichelAngelo went even further, voluntarily signing up for the front lines, demonstrating the heart, character, and selflessness that define him.

When the civil service path didn’t align as planned, MichelAngelo applied the resilience and adaptability he’d learned at the Club. He earned his associate’s degree at Bunker Hill Community College and obtained his Barber’s License, discovering a new calling in the process.

“People can bypass you when you give them the power to…” he reflects. Today, as a barber, MichelAngelo has found peace and purpose. He views barbering as an art form that goes far beyond the service itself. The barbershop, he explains, is a space of trust, connection, and listening, where relationships span over a decade and conversations matter. It’s community in its purest form, much like the Club that shaped him.

Giving Back: Building the Next Generation

The values instilled during his Club years now drive MichelAngelo’s passion for giving back. He launched the Bears Football Program in Chelsea, named in honor of his role model James “Bear” Burke. Starting with just 36 players, the program has grown into a family-centered culture now in its fourth season, complete with a cheering squad.

“I haven’t scratched the surface of what I really want to do,” he shares, revealing his dream of establishing a scholarship fund for athletes who go on to college.

When asked what success means to him, MichelAngelo’s answer echoes the lessons he learned at home and as a Club kid: being able to provide for his three children and showing them that obstacles and challenges don’t have to stop you from accomplishing your goals.

“I feel successful when I can change someone’s upbringing, especially the youth,” he says a mission that mirrors exactly what the Club did for him.

Today, you’ll find MichelAngelo humbly leading from the sidelines at Chelsea Bears games, at the barber chair, in class at Suffolk University pursuing his bachelor’s in business analytics, and most importantly, fulfilling his most accomplished role of all – being a dad.

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