FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2010
CONTACT: Barbara C. Worth
480.285.9002
barb@cefpi.org

CEFPI and Schools for Children of the World Partner in Haiti Relief Effort

Washington, DC - In response to the overwhelming challenges facing the people of Haiti following the catastrophic earthquake of January 12, the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) is partnering together with Schools for the Children of the World (SCW), a non-profit organization dedicated to building schools in emerging and developing countries, to establish a relief effort.

The first priority is to seek volunteers, particularly structural engineers with seismic expertise, to participate on a task force to assess the safety of the damaged school facilities and to assist with the immediate clean-up efforts. This task force will also formulate strategies on how the organizations can best help in the recovery process, as the need will be monumental in rebuilding the damaged and destroyed schools. Several assessment trips will be planned during the next two months. Each volunteer can expect to pay $1,500-2,000 to participate. Visit www.cefpi.org to participate or contribute to this effort.

Schools that can be repaired will need project managers to manage project funds and provide project oversight as well as architects and engineers to provide design solutions and contractors to make the needed repairs. Facilities that are beyond repair will need project managers, contractors to assist with the demolition and cleanup and educational facility planners, architects and engineers with seismic experience to plan and design replacement facilities. Fundraisers to identify and secure resources will be of great import in the recovery process.

The Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) is the only professional organization whose principal purpose is improving the places where children learn. CEFPI embraces a diverse group of professionals with one single goal – building healthy, safe, high performance and sustainable learning environments that enhance student and teacher performance and support culture and community vitality.

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