Francie Lang and Donna Capparelli
Photo Courtesy Of The National Salute to America’s Heroes
At 74, identical twins Francine Lang and Donna Capparelli are redefining what retirement looks like — with an active second act dedicated to helping others. New York natives, the sisters have happily called Boca Raton home for more than 40 years. The city has proven to be a paradise filled with love, family and a shared commitment to their community.
While raising their families, the sisters volunteered as homeroom moms, sports team managers and school supporters. At the same time, both worked full-time — Capparelli in education and Lang in hospital administration.
After retiring, Capparelli, who was widowed in 2011, was looking for ways to give back when she joined the Junior League of Boca Raton (JLBR), an organization dedicated to child welfare, nonprofit support and community issues, causes that resonated deeply with her. Lang, busy with her husband and grandchildren, got involved when Capparelli asked for help with packing boxes for Boca Helping Hands (BHH), a nonprofit that provides food and other essential services to those in need.
“Donna needed assistance organizing boxes of food for schoolchildren who didn’t have enough to eat Friday through Sunday,” Lang recalls, mentioning that the need today is greater than ever.
“It opened my heart. I couldn’t believe kids in our community were going hungry. I joined that year. Luckily, my sister was my advisor — she’s a great teacher.”
The twins continue to serve in leadership roles at JLBR. Lang chairs the Period Poverty Project, which supplies hygiene products to underserved women and teenage girls. They’ve helped expand Done in a Day, an initiative Capparelli chairs that provides immediate, hands-on assistance to other local nonprofits. Capparelli also finds fulfillment in one-on-one mentoring and her involvement with the George Snow Scholarship Fund, an annual project reviewing as many as 1,890 scholarship applications and conducting interviews for the competitive four-year, full-ride college scholarship program.
Outside of their volunteer commitments, the sisters also make time for the things they love. Lang and Capparelli both consider each other excellent cooks. They love gardening and find joy in spending time with their families — they have 12 grandchildren between them in Florida and Georgia — and enjoy full, active lives helping others.