Friday, February 12th, 2010

Lawrence Tech alumnus Donald Stevens will discuss his ongoing campaign to provide shelter for orphans in Haiti and other countries hit by natural disasters on Feb. 18, at 2 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. in Lear Auditorium (T429. The presentations, part of Lawrence Tech’s Entrepreneurial Lecture Series, are free and open to the public.

Stevens, who earned a degree in architecture from Lawrence Tech in 1992, is president of two building companies, STUCC ON STEEL and SHELTER2HOME, in Winchester, Va.

Last year Stevens began working in Haiti through the organization he founded, Reconstruction Efforts Aiding Children without Homes (REACH). He has increased his efforts there following the Jan. 12 earthquake and has met with former President Bill Clinton.

Four Lawrence Tech students will work with Stevens in Haiti for their alternative spring break in March, and there are plans for another group from Lawrence Tech to go down to Haiti this summer.

REACH is looking for 15 volunteers to travel to Haiti July 3-24 to help with the construction of two new homes. No construction experience is needed. Volunteers must be 18 years old at date of departure or accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more information, please visit www.reach4children.org or contact Donald Stevens, dstevens@reach4children.org.

Following the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, Stevens and some friends worked to rebuild housing in Sri Lanka, working closely with Habitat For Humanity-Sri Lanka to develop a partnership to build environmentally friendly, sustainable homes. Then, with the broader goal of helping more children, Stevens and his supporters refocused and expanded their efforts, forming REACH to aid orphan children in need worldwide.

Stevens turned his attention to Haiti after hurricanes caused widespread flooding. He began working with the Pwoje Espwa Sud orphanage located in the impoverished village of Torbeck. The children are under the care of Father Marc Boisvert of Pwoje Espwa.

The Entrepreneurial Lecture Series is sponsored by The Legends of Lawrence Tech, an entrepreneurial alumni organization, and the Lawrence Tech chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization.

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