Joe Marchese is Building a Better World
Joe Marchese is Building a Better World
Written by Cindy Reid and Photos by Thomas Reimer
Joe Marchese, a builder by trade and a passionate advocate by calling, has spent decades erecting not just physical structures, but also foundations for inclusivity and opportunity. His journey started in the demanding world of commercial construction and was forever changed by a deeply personal event. Today, alongside his family, he leads a powerful movement for people with disabilities in the Savannah/Lowcountry area, championing a future where everyone is seen, supported, and given a chance to thrive.
Deep Roots
Marchese's story is one of generations built on hard work. His grandfather, an immigrant from Sicily, arrived in 1915 and became a stone mason, bricklayer, and plasterer. That tradition of building continued with his father, a home builder and mechanical contracting superintendent. Joe himself, after graduating with a film and photography degree from the University of Massachusetts in Boston, briefly pursued a creative career in California before returning to his roots in the trades. However, it was love, not a career, that brought him to the South. After marrying Molly, a "beautiful southern girl," the couple moved to Springfield, where they have lived for 23 years.
Marchese's professional path mirrors his family's, with a career in commercial construction that includes projects from warehouses to medical offices. He views each project as a "four-dimensional puzzle" that becomes a fifth dimension when you add in the personalities of everyone involved. For him, the deep relationships built with clients over decades are just as rewarding as the tangible results of his labor.
A Personal Calling to Advocacy
The defining moment of Joe and Molly's lives occurred 20 years ago with the birth of their daughter, Ella, who has Down syndrome. "Your life changes when you get married, when you have children, and when you have a child with special needs," he reflects. This event ignited their passion for advocacy, transforming their family life and shaping their life's work.
The Marchese family's journey into community leadership began with a simple connection. In 2006, their doctor, Ben Spitalnick, introduced them to three other families of children with Down syndrome: John and Candy Bogardus, Bobby and Wendy Fears, and Brian and Pam Hussey. What began as a small, informal gathering in Dr. Spitalnick's office quickly evolved into a formal organization. This small group of parents saw a need and created the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS), a family support group for those in the greater Savannah area.
Today, the LDSS celebrates its upcoming 20th anniversary and extends its reach to eight surrounding counties, providing regular meetings with guest speakers and social time for families to connect. The LDSS is dedicated to inclusion, education, and advocacy, and is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society.
Expanding the Vision of Inclusion
To celebrate workplace inclusion, Joe Marchese co-founded the Night of Champions, an annual event that honors local businesses that hire people with disabilities. The event is a celebration of the "incredible value" these individuals bring to the community.
Marchese challenges businesses to make the hiring of people with special needs a "seamless integration" and strives for a community where everyone truly feels they belong.
Molly, formerly an ICU nurse, has also dedicated her life to advocacy, becoming a job coach for people with special needs. She is the founder of Buddies and Blessings, a 501(c)(3) organization that focuses on the three major stumbling blocks for people with special needs: transportation, housing, and employment. "Those are the three major stumbling blocks—what do you do for work, where do you live, and how do you get to work," Joe explains. By addressing these barriers, the organization helps young adults and high school students with disabilities avoid graduating "to the couch" and instead find their place in the workforce.
Buddies and Blessings recently hosted a taco dinner and talent show, showcasing the skills of its participants and proving that patience can reveal incredible abilities.
A Call to Action and a Family's Legacy
Joe's message to the community is simple but profound: "Do anything. Show up, volunteer, and don't be surprised or disappointed. Show up again." He believes that continued effort will eventually lead to a "transformative moment" where one's perspective shifts from "us and them" to a single, unified community. He also stresses the importance of teaching children that everyone is different, but fundamentally the same.
The Marchese family's legacy continues to grow. Their daughter Ella, now 20, works as an office assistant at Rincon Elementary. Their daughter Katie is a Georgia Tech graduate living in Washington, D.C., working for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and their youngest daughter, Lucy, is a senior at the STEM Academy at Effingham High School. Joe and Molly are very proud of their three daughters and what they have accomplished while remaining grounded and loving individuals. "We want them to love God, love their family, and be a productive member of society. My job is to help them, but they get to choose and live their own lives."
The Marchese family are what Joe calls "church people and people people. It's simple—I love God and I love people."
A Magical Place in Tennessee
While the Marcheses have built an incredible network of support and advocacy in the Lowcountry, they also have a cherished escape: the Riverwood Christian Community in Tennessee. Operated by Ability Ministry, a non-profit organization, Riverwood is a special place for families with special needs children. Joe Marchese refers to it as "a magical place for us."
It provides an environment that challenges and empowers individuals with special needs to become more independent. "Families with special needs kids tend to enable, and we wait on them long after it's needed," Joe observes. At Riverwood, individuals like their daughter Ella are given new responsibilities and opportunities to grow.
Riverwood fosters a sense of community and purpose through various activities. For example, during a school leadership event on campus, teams work together to prepare and clean up after a meal. This structure provides valuable life skills and encourages teamwork, but it is also a place where Ella can thrive. She is a provider of services to others with special needs, and her growth is a source of great pride for her parents.
For Joe, Riverwood is a unique haven. "It is everything I love all in one place," he explains, highlighting the community, inclusion, and empowerment that the center provides. It is a place that celebrates and supports the potential of every individual, reminding the Marchese family of the broader vision for inclusion that they work so hard to achieve at home.
Reflecting on his journey, Joe shares that he is a "better person" for having children, and "definitely better for becoming part of a special needs community." His ultimate goal is to "change the world by loving people unconditionally," and he offers a reminder that if you have met one person with special needs, you have only met one person. The Marchese family and their organizations serve as a testament to the power of unconditional love and the belief that every individual deserves a place to belong.
LDSS Events
Buddy Walk
The first Buddy Walk took place at Forsyth Park in downtown Savannah in October 2006, with nearly 1,600 people supporting Down syndrome awareness. For the last few years, over 5,000 people have regularly attended the annual walk.
Night of Champions
LDSS hosts an annual Night of Champions in May. This community event recognizes area businesses that employ differently abled adults, including those with Down syndrome, and celebrates the contributions made by these employees.
Camp Buddy
Camp Buddy provides physical, occupational, and speech therapies for children with Down syndrome. The camp promotes the retention of the educational accomplishments that children have made during the school year by bridging the summer months to the upcoming school year. They had approximately 40 participants at both the Effingham and Savannah camps this year.
For more information:
LDSS/Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society
Buddies and Blessings
