At this year’s Contractor of the Awards Evening of Excellence, we honored MA Design & Construction for their community service work. In 2018, the MA Design & Construction family was able to be part of a life-long dream that its owner, Marcelo (Marc) Menezes, had – opening and operating a non-profit foundation named Shoes for the World Foundation. Many years of giving and serving the community as an individual translated to a company-wide mission! This “Hero” spent 14 days last year in Puerto Rico re-building shelters and giving relief assistance to communities devastated by Maria. He spent 21 days in Guinea-Bissau (one of the poorest countries in the world) and Zimbabwe establishing official distribution centers to supply shoes, food, school supplies and clothing to locals on a monthly basis. He visited villages, islands, schools, orphanages, and churches. He ate what they ate, slept where they slept, but unlike them, he knew he would come back to so much more. This trip was a growth journey, Marc felt he could only do so little in the face of so much need. Marc personally distributed 349 pair of shoes, 140 toys, 140 shirts, and over 1500 school supplies. Congratulations to Marc and the MA Design & Construction team.
Marc is not alone in his efforts to serve the community. This spring many EM NARI members mobilized to make a difference in our community. In April, members gathered at a home in Roxbury to help a woman who has dedicated herself to helping others through her work with the YMCA, Tufts Medical Center, and her church. Nearly a dozen EM NARI members worked alongside students from Newton North High School and Medford Vocational Technical High School on a Saturday to update the home with a new bulkhead and back door, as well as fresh paint and updated appliances. These changes will allow her to safely enjoy continuing to live in her community.
In early May, members were back at it to help with Habitat for Humanity’s Build Days in Salisbury. With 18 NARI member companies represented, members worked across two weekends to help with roofing and framing work on home under construction for a family in need. Special thanks to Bob Williams of Star Construction that took the lead on coordinating the NARI member involvement in the project.
