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Meet Your Neighbor: Don Purdue and Laurie Abdo
By Callie Thomas
Hope springs eternal for 89117 residents Don Purdue and Laurie Abdo, and not just because of their long standing history in southern Nevada (Don is a third generation Nevadan and wife Laurie’s family moved to Las Vegas in 1967) or because they united their family, which includes four children, after they married in 2004. Rather, it’s because of their belief in making a difference in the lives of high school kids in need and their families in the community.
Both Don and Laurie work diligently at their professions. Don says he ended up in land development and homebuilding because “he didn’t want to wear a tie to work and it sounded more fun than accounting,” while Laurie is a hearing aid specialist. One day, Don saw a plea on Facebook to assist 150 homeless high school students that changed everything for the couple and their family. What began as curiosity has ended up in an ongoing resolve to assist, not just the original 150 students that Don learned about but the estimated 6,300 homeless students and their families in Clark County. Due to the economic turn in the community and other unforeseeable factors, otherwise viable and hard working teens have been faced with homelessness or found themselves in need of vital provisions including a bed to sleep on, clothing, food, bus passes and more just to be able to attend school.
With the help of Harmony Homes and many friends, Don and Laurie founded Project 150, a nonprofit organization that coordinates an ongoing list of drives and fundraising events to support fourteen high schools in the community. Don and Laurie talk about their efforts, how it has affected their lives and how social media has become an indispensible tool in connecting to others and making a difference.
Don, how exactly did you come about creating Project 150?
“After seeing a post on Facebook, I decided to visit Rancho High School for myself. I couldn’t believe there were actually 150 students there that were in so much need. I met with the counselor, and after just twenty minutes of seeing kids coming in and out of her office, I was near tears looking at the problems that her students encountered. It was everything from needing a cap and gown to graduate to needing to find a place to work.”
The kids were different than you might have expected?
“The kids are polite, hard working, self supporting and have shown an ability to face incredible circumstances. They just need a break.”
What was the first initiative for Project 150?
“It started as a Christmas drive and ended up being a full-fledged effort. At first, we volunteered to help seventeen families with Christmas gifts, and after we delivered the gifts we realized our four kids were looking forward to the holiday break with family and presents and the students at Rancho High School were fearing the break because their only reliable meal comes at the school. We ended up raising $10,000 and bought food gift cards so these students could have meals during the break.”
Laurie, your family’s compassion for people is a huge part of why this project has been so successful.
“Just as I have a huge compassion for the people that I assist with hearing devices in my profession, we are committed to Project 150’s goal of enhancing the lives of displaced and at risk teens by keeping them in school.”
Social media has been an important resource in gaining support.
“Yes. I really don’t know Twitter that well but my kids said, ‘That’s the way everyone talks now, Dad’ so we use it and Facebook to help us spread the message.”
Don, with your busy schedule, do you ever get to unplug?
“Oh, I’m pretty good at unplugging.”
What about you, Laurie?
“I have a hard time relaxing but enjoy cooking. Don and I work well together in the kitchen.”
