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Writer's pictureRevoLucian
Sep 18, 20153 min read

TOCO Mobilizes Partners to Support Dominica Relief Effort


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE



TOCO Foundation Mobilizes Partners to support the Dominica Relief Effort


Pictured: Ron & Holly Miller, Dr Vince Henderson, Dominica's Ambassador to the UN, Taj Weekes, Barbara Daily Consul General for Dominica & Julian Dubois Consul General for St. Lucia.



New York, September 15, 2015 - Consistent with its mandate to improve the lives of under-privileged, at-risk and orphaned Caribbean youth through sports, health and enrichment programmes, They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO) Foundation continues to leverage its considerable network of partners across North America and Europe to improve the life chances of the region’s youth.

On Friday September 09, a shipment of 1500 pairs of shoes was dispatched to the Commonwealth of Dominica from New York City, with the promise of more to come later this month. This came as an outcome of the joint mobilization effort of TOCO Foundation, foundered by Saint Lucian born, US-based recording artist, philanthropist and UNICEF Youth Ambassador Taj Weekes, and Zandoli International Foundation.


This initial TOCO response with relief to the nature isle was supported by Ian's Boots non- profit organisation and Taraji Foundation Inc. On hand to receive the footwear were Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Commonwealth of Dominica to the United H.E. Dr. Vince Henderson, the Dominica Consul General in New York – Hon. Barbara Daley, and Saint Lucia’s Consul General Hon. Julian Du Bois. Joining Taj and Angela Weekes of TOCO to handover the footwear were Ron and Holly Miller of In Ian’s Boots non-profit organization.


“Disaster can be a seven day wonder but their effects linger. One on hand we wanted to respond quickly because in times like these support needs more than expression, it needs meaning. We see this first shipment as an expression of support, but the real value to our Dominica family is in still being there after the waters subside”, the TOCO CEO said.

He went on to say that based on the active canvassing by the Foundation and commitments received to date, subsequent dispatches to Dominica by TOCO are imminent.


Over the last six years or so, the impact of TOCO Foundation is being felt from Trinidad in the South to Haiti in the Northern Caribbean, and especially in Saint Lucia as a consequence of its active and self-initiated support to youth. Much of this outreach has been focused on support for sports development through the provision of sporting gear, headhunting to identify eligible candidates for sports scholarships, donation of schoolbooks and suppliers to economically depressed communities and flood hit areas, and through advocacy on the proliferation of Diabetes.

-ENDS-



About TOCO Foundation

They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO) is a U.S. based, not-for profit organization with a mission to raise awareness and address the issues that affect Caribbean youth through comprehensive projects and initiatives on every island in the Caribbean. TOCO’s projects range from after school sports programs, a diabetes awareness initiative, a domestic violence awareness campaign, and artistic programs.





About Taj Weekes

Weekes' humanitarian work has been a staple of his celebrity, using every opportunity to serve and speak on behalf of the children of the Caribbean. He personally travels and distributes donated items to the islands, lectures to high school and college students on topics ranging from volunteerism to acceptance and tolerance, and donates his own money to ensure that TOCO can fulfill its missions. His efforts are at the core of TOCO’s success and in recognition for his work, Weekes was named a Goodwill Ambassador by the International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals in 2007 and by a division of the United Nations. In 2012, he received a humanitarian award from the St. Lucian government for his work through TOCO.






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