For Eric Wilson ’06 and Harold Roy ’06, a passion for Plymouth State and helping those in need are commonalities that inspired the longtime friends to make an impact on a global scale.
Roy, a special state police officer at Massachusetts General Hospital and the founder/director of disaster prevention nonprofit EPECARE, was visiting family in Haiti in 2010 when a devastating earthquake shuddered the tiny island nation. Born in the U.S. into a household that embraces the Haitian culture, Roy felt compelled to aid in rebuilding the country and investing in those who call it home.
EPECARE is mostly self-funded and relies on volunteers like Wilson. He previously ran basketball camps in Haiti with POWERforward, an organization dedicated to inspiring underprivileged children to achieve excellence in education and athletics. EPECARE sends small groups of public health and nursing professionals to Haiti to teach valuable skills, including first aid and emergency response. Together with Partners HealthCare, it is currently building a school and a training clinic that will specialize in the care of mothers and children. The training clinic will also function as a command center in the event of another catastrophic event.
Eric Wilson ’06 and Harold Roy ’06.
Having made more than 20 trips to Haiti to date, Roy says, “…I hope to be the change I want to see in my country.” Roy and EPECARE, through education and empowerment, are working to ensure that the nation of Haiti is a safe haven in the future. EPECARE invites the PSU community to contribute to the cause by donating used computers, backpacks, notepads, pens/pencils, desks, chairs, medical supplies, or self-storage units. For more information, please visit epecare.org. ■ Shannon Griffiths ’17
Tags: Haiti philanthropy
