OREFIELD, PA (October 12, 2026) – For a quarter-century, youth in residential treatment at KidsPeace have been able to continue their educational journeys while seeking healing for mental and behavioral health challenges, thanks to the programs and dedicated staff at the Donley Therapeutic Education Center (TEC) on its Orchard Hills Campus in Orefield, PA.
Now, KidsPeace is inviting the community to celebrate this remarkable milestone.
On Thursday, October 22nd KidsPeace will mark the facility’s 25th anniversary with KidsPeace Homecoming, a unique and first-of-its-kind event in the Donley TEC gymnasium. Guests can step back in time to their own high school days and enjoy music, food and entertainment, all to help support the education the facility provides to kids in treatment.
“Donley TEC has transformed the lives of thousands of children over the past 25 years by providing a place where learning and healing happen together,” said Ashley R. Calle, Vice President of Development and Communications at KidsPeace. “As we reflected on how to commemorate this milestone, we wanted to create something that was not only meaningful, but also incredibly fun. Homecoming felt like the perfect way to bring people together, celebrate the power of education, and honor the legacy of this incredible building. We hope guests will embrace the spirit of the evening, dress in their favorite decade, make new memories, and enjoy a truly joyful celebration while supporting the children we serve.”
At the heart of the evening will be the KidsPeace Homecoming Court, a group of ten dedicated community leaders who are rallying support for children’s education at KidsPeace by raising funds leading up to the event. Their efforts will culminate in the crowning of the KidsPeace Homecoming King and Queen during the celebration. Information about the Homecoming Court and their fundraising campaigns can be found at www.kidspeace.org/homecoming-court.
The Donley TEC was made possible through a transformational $1 million gift from Lehigh Valley philanthropists Inez and Ed Donley, whose generosity helped bring the vision for the school to life. Since opening in 2001, the center has provided students with access to a performance stage, indoor jogging track, swimming pool, meeting areas, classrooms and dedicated art and music instruction areas.
Today, children receiving residential treatment at the Orchard Hills Campus attend classes aligned with their grade level and requirements from their home school district. In 2025, 92% of students in the education programs at Orchard Hills improved in reading and 67% improved in math.
The KidsPeace Homecoming celebration will honor the legacy of Donley TEC while helping build its future. Community members, supporters, and friends of KidsPeace are invited to join in this one-of-a-kind evening of nostalgia, school spirit, and fun, all while making a difference for children in need. Whether attending in letterman jackets, poodle skirts, bell bottoms, neon windbreakers, or their own signature style, guests will be part of a celebration that recognizes 25 years of educational excellence and helps ensure a brighter future for the children KidsPeace serves.
KidsPeace is grateful for the generous support of its KidsPeace Homecoming sponsors, whose commitment to children and families helps make this unique celebration possible. The organization proudly recognizes the Air Products Foundation as the event’s Presenting Sponsor, Community Bank as the Spirit Sponsor, First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union as the Snacks & Sips Sponsor, and Burkholder’s HVAC and BSI Corporate Benefits as Cheerleader Sponsors.
For more information about the event and to buy tickets, visit https://bit.ly/KidsPeaceHomecoming. To learn more, please reach out to Elizabeth Ruggiero, Director of Development, at elizabeth.ruggiero@kidspeace.org.
Since 1882, KidsPeace has been building on its expertise to give hope, help and healing to children, adults and those who love them. Through its comprehensive range of residential treatment programs; accredited educational services; unique psychiatric hospital and foster care and community-based programs, KidsPeace is dedicated to helping people connect, transform and overcome their challenges to ensure a stable future, transition to adulthood and gain independence. Since its doors opened, more than 300,000 children have participated in one of the multitude of programs KidsPeace offers.
For additional resources or more information on how to get involved, become a foster parent or make a donation, please visit www.kidspeace.org. Follow us at www.facebook.com/kidspeace.org or on Twitter @KidsPeace.
Information provided to TVL by:
Robert Martin
