Project Lift

A struggling teen who was once told he wouldn’t amount to anything, is using his newly acquired carpentry skills to help build a cottage home that will provide transitional housing for a local homeless family.

A young woman who had to drop out of school to support her 3 young siblings walks proudly across the stage to accept her high school diploma.  At Project LIFT’s Pathway Academy High School program, she was able to finish school while getting paid to learn a trade.

A licensed therapist peers under the hood of a car in the auto shop and chats with her young client as he is taught engine repair by a certified mechanic.

If you’ve visited Project LIFT’s headquarters in Palm City, you’ve seen these stories unfold in real time. The non-profit was founded in 2010 by licensed psychotherapist Bob Zaccheo, who believed there was a better way to reach troubled adolescents than standard counseling. His innovative approach combines evidence based mental health and substance abuse services with paid vocational training, instilling dignity, work ethic, and hope for a promising future.

Project LIFT serves approximately 800 teens and young adults annually, in its Martin, St. Lucie, and Palm Beach County locations.  There is no charge for any of their services, and in fact, students are paid for their skilled trades work as long as they test clean for drugs and alcohol and meet behavioral expectations.

By removing the stigma associated with vocational training and empowering teens to cultivate the dignity that results from mastering a skilled trade, Project LIFT creates opportunity for teens who aren’t college bound. Job placement assistance is offered upon program completion, through strategic partnerships with local businesses who hire program graduates.



Mariner Sands’ support of Project LIFT’s Cottage Home program has enabled the non-profit to train its students in building tiny homes that will impact both the student and families in need in Martin County. It’s truly a win-win!