Harris Rosen Foundation Continues to Press Forward with Relief-Rebuild-Sustain Program for Haiti

Groundwork Continues for Manufacture of Little Haiti Houses, Successful Fundraisers Continue and Foundation Gathers Supplies for Upcoming Relief Trip


For more information, contact: Mary Deatrick DPR
(407) 332-5212 mary@deatrickpr.com
Photography available at http://www.rosenhotels.com/media

ORLANDO (April 2, 2010) – Two months after announcing his Relief-Rebuild-Sustain effort to provide assistance to those devastated by the earthquake in Haiti, Orlando hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen, founder of the Harris Rosen Foundation, continues to make substantial strides to provide short- and long-term solutions to the impoverished country.


Since it was first announced that Rosen’s Little Haiti House would make its public debut at the Central Florida Home & Garden Show at the Orange County Convention Center, March 19-21, the philanthropist has made much progress toward making the low-cost, eco-friendly, earthquake- and hurricane-resistant homes a reality for the citizens of Haiti. Meanwhile, the Harris Rosen Foundation continues to fund relief efforts, announcing its second food and supplies drive called “Family Kits for Haiti,” to gather urgently needed food, tents, baby items and other supplies. The drive continues through Friday, April 9.


Little Haiti House
Expert groups are working simultaneously to implement the Little Haiti House concept. While Home Show attendees were able to see the 24’ x 12’ model of the Little Haiti House, Rosen’s team of architects and builders are currently working to determine the optimum size—or sizes—for the homes, ranging from 288 to 700 square feet, as well as investigating exact materials to be used in the homes, which would be manufactured in the US and shipped in crates to be assembled in Haiti by Haitian construction teams.  Meanwhile, offers of potential land donations are being evaluated and surveying teams will be determining ideal location and layout for the small villages of Little Haiti Houses. Agricultural experts are determining the feasibility of growing plant-based fuels in these areas.


Every feature of the homes is being scrutinized for maximum efficiency, safety and sustainability. For instance:


  • Awnings, although useful for shade, were omitted because they produce lift in high-wind conditions such as hurricanes and tropical storms.
  • Solar panels and a wind turbine are being evaluated to be used in the homes to provide a renewable energy source.
  • A panel system which is made from metal sheeting covering a foam core is capable of withstanding up to 150 mph winds and is earthquake resistant.
  • Zinc sheets over porches to provide shade as families enjoy their outdoor living.
  • A rain barrel and collection device will be standard with every home to provide a fresh water source.
  • A team of Rosen associates who are emigrants from Haiti have decided on interior and exterior palette of paint colors featuring Caribbean-inspired blue and yellows.

 

Fundraising Efforts
Fundraising efforts for the Little Haiti House and the Relief-Rebuild-Sustain program also continue to move forward. On Saturday, March 20 from 6-9 p.m., during the Central Florida Home & Garden Show, the Harris Rosen Foundation presented a special after-hours dining event called “Rosen Hotels’ Homeowners for Haiti.” For just $25, which included free admission to the show, approximately 200 guests sampled a mix of sweet and savory dishes such as Focaccia Crusted Lamb and Tropical Crab Cakes from the award-winning Rosen Hotels’ restaurants, including Jack’s Place at Rosen Plaza, Everglades at Rosen Centre and A Land Remembered and Cala Bella Italian Bistro at Rosen Shingle Creek.  The tapas-style offerings were accompanied by wine courtesy of Southern Wine & Spirits and Opici Wine Company as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Guests also got the opportunity to mingle with the acclaimed chefs as well with the event host, Scott Joseph, renowned Central Florida food critic and creator of the online Orlando Restaurant Guide, www.scottjosephorlando.com.


This first-of-its-kind event was created specifically to benefit the victims of the Haiti earthquake through the Rosen Haiti Relief Fund and marked the first time that Rosen Hotels & Resorts had partnered with the Central Florida Home Show. “I couldn’t think of a better place to unveil the Little Haiti House to the public than to homeowners attending the Central Florida Home Show,” said Harris Rosen, President and COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts and founder of the Harris Rosen Foundation. “Home ownership is a milestone that people all over the world aspire to and the Haitian people need our help more than ever to make that dream come true. We not only collected donations for the Little Haiti House at the Home Show, but also conducted an extremely successful dining fundraiser featuring our talented chefs, so we are extremely grateful for the strong support and partnership of the Central Florida Home Show in making these fundraising opportunities available to us.”


Food and Supplies Drive
Through April 9, the Harris Rosen Foundation will conduct a food and supplies drive to create “Family Kits” for Haitian families. All materials gathered are hand delivered to the needy in Haiti by Rosen Hotels & Resorts’ own task force of associates, who recently returned from Haiti with this list of urgently needed items, which includes: 18-22 gallon plastic storage bins; new and used tents that sleep two or more people; canned foods such as vegetables, meats and fish; manual can openers; powdered milk; peanut butter; cooking oil in small to medium bottles; sugar; rice and dry beans in 10 lb. bags or less; pasta; baby food; baby cereal; baby formula; baby diapers; non-disposable plastic bowls and plates; and utensils. No clothing or shoes are being accepted at this time. All items may be dropped off at the bell stand at Rosen Centre Hotel, located at 9840 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819. Monetary donations are also accepted; checks may be made payable to the Harris Rosen Foundation. Credit card contributions may be made online via PayPal at: www.RosenHotels.com/Haiti.


The Little Haiti House and the Relief-Rebuild-Sustain program are funded through the Harris Rosen Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. At least one third of Rosen Hotels & Resorts’ associates are of Haitian descent, and the hotelier has funded various Haitian relief efforts throughout the last decade. Shortly after the Jan. 12 earthquake, Rosen set out to raise at least $1 million and collect urgently needed medical supplies. Within weeks, Rosen sent a team of associates to Haiti to deliver 20,000 pounds of medical supplies such as antibiotics, palettes of batteries and flashlights, towels, hygiene items including 50,000 bars of soap, first-aid kits and other emergency items. Rosen also sent three fixed-wing aircraft to Haiti to facilitate delivery of urgently needed medical supplies.


Due to its competitive wages and outstanding associate benefit program, including the onsite Rosen Medical Center, wellness programs, continuing education and language development programs, Rosen Hotels & Resorts has one of the lowest associate turnover rates in the hotel industry. Funding from the Harris Rosen Foundation has allowed for the creation of the Tangelo Park Project, which provides free preschool, college and vocational education to disadvantaged youth; the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management; and the Jack and Lee Rosen Southwest Orlando Jewish Community Center. The Foundation also contributes to numerous charitable organizations throughout Central Florida and beyond each year.


The Rosen Hotels & Resorts family includes three award-winning convention properties, Rosen Plaza, Rosen Centre and Rosen Shingle Creek, and four leisure properties in the Orlando tourist corridor, including the Quality Inn International, Quality Inn Plaza and Rodeway Inn International and Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista.


For more information, visit www.rosenhotels.com or call 866-33-ROSEN.