Awards / Certifications

For decades, the focus of philanthropy at Lewis Development Corp. has been Northeast Ohio Adoption Services, which places special-needs and other hard-to-adopt children with families.

“We have a strong family connection to the adoption agency,” says Dennis Lewis Jr., president of Howland-based Lewis Development. Barbara Lewis Roberts – his aunt, and sister to the CEO of Lewis Development, Carter Lewis – started the agency with a federal grant in 1975.

“Their mission is incredible: taking children who were previously considered unadoptable and finding homes for them,” Carter Lewis says.

“The BBB Torch Awards for Ethics honors organizations whose leaders demonstrate a high level of personal character; ensure that the organization’s practices meet the highest standards of ethics; and consequently, generate trust with its customers and the community. The Torch Award embodies BBB’s mission of advancing business trust.”

“Lewis Construction was honored to receive this prestigious award. We are so thankful to be able to service our area for over 52 years with the same quality and standards that we had since 1970.”

Three years later, Lewis Development began its efforts on behalf of Northeast Ohio Adoption Services by donating office space to the agency.

NOAS has placed more than 1,300 children with families. Contributions of Lewis Development to the agency have ranged from direct donations of money and equipment to staging annual golf outings and other benefits.

At the fundraisers, NOAS representatives “do a very good job of getting their core message out about helping these kids,” Dennis Lewis Jr. says. “When you see the kids in need and the results, and you actually meet some of them, it becomes personal, that you have to help.”

The Lewises have also enlisted their friends, including a board member whom they convinced to retire from her job and join NOAS as its staff accountant, he says.

Through one of the fundraisers sponsored by Lewis Development, representatives of Millwood Inc. in Vienna Township got involved with the Bridges program, which collects and provides furniture and other items for young adults who have aged out of the adoption system.

The company CEO would only say that between gifts and forgiveness of rent that Lewis Development’s donation to the agency was “significant.”

Other organizations Lewis Development helps include Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley, the American Red Cross and Mercy Health.

Credit to Business Journal Daily for writing the article.