"Be inspirED" with Debbie Phelps

    VIENNA, VA, August 12, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Community Coalition for Haiti is pleased to announce its Be inspirED event to be held Thursday September 18, 2014 at Perkins + Will located at 1250 24th St, NW in Washington, DC. The Board of Directors, staff and volunteers are all very excited and grateful to have Debbie Phelps serve as our Honorary Chair for this event. The event will allow us to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 at our Mount Fleury School in Jacmel, Haiti. We will also kickoff our fundraising for Phase 2 and 3 at the event. Through various collaborations with Haitian builders, Savannah College of Art & Design and Perkins + Will, we are creating a vibrant sustainable community for learning and teaching. Our future plans will allow us to expand safe learning environments, teaching success and student nutrition. Join us for a cocktail reception from 6:30-9:00 and see the images of the first building and plans for the next phases. Guests will also have an opportunity to bid on some incredible online auction items and experiences before the event at www.Charitybuzz.com, as well as silent auction items to include Haitian artwork at the event. Event information can be found at http://cchaiti.org/event/inspired/.

Deborah Phelps is widely recognized as an innovative, energetic and talented leader and master teacher with more than three decades of teaching and administrator experience. The proud mother of three children and grandmother of two, Ms. Phelps is the Director of the Education Foundation of the Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc.

Ms. Phelps began her career in education as a teacher at Havre de Grace Middle School in 1974 and evolved her experiences from teacher to team leader to department chair, which has served as the foundation to her successful role in administration. Her dedication and commitment to excellence in the field of education has earned Ms. Phelps honors including Baltimore County Public School's Teacher of the Year Finalist, two-time Maryland Family & Consumer Science Teacher of the Year, and Baltimore County's "Baby Boomer of the Year" (2004).

Beyond the school halls, Ms. Phelps is also affectionately known as a "swim mom" to three accomplished swimmers. She recently added "author" to her resume with the release of her first book, A Mother for All Seasons, in which she reveals the universal themes of her life story that is rich with struggle, humor, hope, advice and passion which rallies readers to cheer for all of our children at every stage of their growth and in every endeavor. A native of Allegany County (Western Maryland), Ms. Phelps received her Master's degree in Education Management & Supervision from Loyola College (MD) and B.A. in Education from Fairmont State College. She currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland where she enjoys spending her free time with her family, traveling and attending a variety of sporting events, especially those that are Baltimore based as well as international competition, such as the Olympics.

Barbara Pugliese, Chair of the Education Committee at CCH says, "I am thrilled to be a part of this project that will have a far-reaching impact on education in Haiti and am honored to be working alongside dedicated professionals on our team. The best way to break the cycle of poverty is through learning. Your help and generosity will take us one step closer to our goal."

Community Coalition for Haiti (CCH) is a 501c3 non-profit with their corporate office in Vienna, Virginia and international office in Jacmel, Haiti. We seek community-driven solutions for meeting the basic needs of the poor. These needs include food, clean water, shelter, and healthcare, as well as educational and economic opportunities. Acting in partnership with local communities and grassroots organizations, CCH has successfully implemented sustainable, long-term solutions throughout its 25 plus year history in Haiti. Our vision is a world transformed: One life, one family, one community at a time. Through compassionate service, we seek to transform those serving and those served.

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