Recently at Babson College in Wellesley, over a dozen team members from construction management firm Tocci Building Companies including friends and family assembled packages of supplies to assist those battling the devastation of AIDS in Uganda. The team joined hundreds of other volunteers at the event, which was put together by World Vision, an international Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to helping children, families, and their communities reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Volunteers loaded knapsacks full of items such as simple medical supplies (such as sterile gloves, Vaseline and anti-fungal ointments), flashlights, batteries and other necessities that enable the caregivers to continue their valuable work with the ravaged population.
"The world is full of complex problems, but when you have a simple activity like assembling kits for caregivers, you have an opportunity to create change," said Lila Tocci, the director of company life and charitable giving for Tocci. "As a company, we promote several opportunities for giving back, and this is just one of the avenues. Our employees contribute to the local and global community in many ways, donating not only money, but just as importantly, their time."
The assembling of caregiver kits was preceded by a video presentation which depicted caregivers receiving the kits and literally dancing for joy. The supplies enable the volunteers to better care for the sick, who may otherwise die alone and abandoned. "My experience saddened me and warmed my heart. I felt great knowing that all these care packages were going to help someone bring comfort to those who were at the end of their lives," said Lauryn Cappuccio, daughter of employee Lesley Cappuccio, who also brought her other daughter Nicole to participate in the event.
Tocci Building Companies continues a long-standing tradition at the firm of supporting World Vision efforts for over 25 years.
The Tocci team (from left) are: Rear:  Stephen O’Neal, Emochee Ode, Adiya Ode (friends of Tocci). Middle:  Lila Tocci, Mary Ellen Ferolito, Jennifer Heikkinen, Lesley Cappuccio, Victor Guller. Front:  Ken Dubois, Tim Tocci, John Tocci, Lauryn Cappuccio, Nicole Cappuccio, Joe Ferolito