A Builder of Skylines Also Builds Support for the World's Poorest

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Nov 23, 2010, 12:00 ET

Concern's Seeds of Hope Awards Dinner salutes Joseph Coppotelli

NEW YORK, Nov. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In recognition of his contributions to humanitarian work, Concern Worldwide will honor Structure Tone Vice Chairman Joseph Coppotelli at its annual Seeds of Hope Awards Dinner Nov. 30.

Concern, the international humanitarian organization, works to help people living in extreme poverty achieve major improvements in their lives through long-term development programs and emergency response. Coppotelli has supported these efforts for the last decade, and recently saw them firsthand on a visit to Concern's earthquake recovery programs in Haiti.

Mr. Coppotelli is a long-time supporter of a range of arts and civic causes and sits on the board of a number of leading charitable organizations, including the American Red Cross.

"We are proud to honor Joe Coppotelli at this year's dinner," said Siobhan Walsh, Executive Director of Concern Worldwide. "His commitment to the world's poor and underprivileged sets the bar for executives in the U.S. and around the world. The Seeds of Hope Dinner celebrates exactly this type of commitment, as well as reminding us of how much work remains to be done. That's why Joe is the perfect honoree," she said.

Previous honorees include Tom Brokaw, Elie Wiesel, Digicel Chairman Denis O'Brien, author Pete Hamill, and former Intel CEO Craig Barrett.

The multi-billion dollar Structure Tone organization—favored by Fortune 100 companies and widely recognized as one of the leading full-service global construction firms—employs a staff more than 1,200 in 22 offices in the U.S., UK, Ireland and Asia.

Mr. Coppotelli visited Haiti late last month at the height of the country's cholera outbreak, and witnessed Concern's work in Port-au-Prince where the organization is working hard to meet the needs of over 100,000 people displaced by the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake.

Upon returning, he reflected, "What I saw in Haiti boggles the mind – you cannot really appreciate the scale of the disaster unless you're there. Nine months later one million people are still living in camps, in deplorable conditions. I was privileged to witness Concern's work to make lives easier in those camps, and their around-the-clock efforts with hundreds of Haitians to build safe, solid transitional shelters that will offer protection from the heat, wind and rain."

"I have supported Concern's work for years but this experience has inspired me to re-double my efforts, and appeal to my friends and colleagues to do the same. I am deeply honored by this award, but it's not a culmination of my support – it's the beginning of a new phase. It starts with a challenge to my friends in the construction and corporate communities to join us on Nov. 30."

Concern works in 28 of the world's poorest countries, including 17 sub-Saharan African nations, and reaches some 25 million people. The organization's goal is the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty and the reduction of suffering. The organization's programs focus on emergency relief and long-term development work in the areas of health, HIV and AIDS, livelihoods and education.