Covid Relief Efforts: Donating 10,000 Laptops To Students In Need

With the pandemic putting life as we know it at a standstill, students are dependent on technology to maintain hope for their future more than ever before. The technology gap I have been working to diminish and have warned people about for years has proven itself prevalent in communities across the country, with no school immune to the loss of potential the digital divide presents. With the dreams of our children at stake, providing students and their families with equal access has become increasingly essential for our future. 

In April of 2020, requests from over 200 schools asking for technology flooded my inbox. Like so many educational organizations across the country, Guilford Education Alliance (GEA) was in a race against the clock to get laptops to the students in Guilford County. Over 10,000 children faced the threat of falling behind in their studies, a reality with irreversible consequences for our future. Guilford Education Alliance needed 10,000 laptops for their students. When the call came, I didn’t hesitate to extend everything I could to help, responding with a challenge grant of $700,000 to offset the cost of the devices to half so that we could ensure all students could be taken care of.  

My team and I brought together resources from all over the World to help the students we served in the United States. We were determined to do whatever it took to deliver for the students who were relying on us. Night and day, my team and I embodied the relief of 10,000 students having a laptop to continue their education, a feeling that served as our fuel to keep us going through the long days and sleepless nights in the warehouse preparing the devices one by one. It turned into a beautiful operation with many volunteers and supporters working tirelessly to protect our children’s future. With this feeling of relief in our hearts, we stopped at nothing to get devices to all the students who needed them in Guilford County, as well as thousands more across America.

A flyer that read “This laptop is a gift for you to keep!” was carefully placed inside each laptop,  with important warranty information in case their device gets damaged during the school year. My company, A.M.-Technologies, ensured that any broken computers could be repaired. It was important to our team to not only provide the students with a laptop but to also equip them with a support system they could rely on. “This gift is our way of showing that we believe in YOU and want you to know that we are here fighting along your side to make the world a better place”, the flyer continued, emphasizing how we are here to help students overcome the technical challenges that stand in their way of victory. 

With thousands of laptops deployed to schools each week, Technology for the Future was able to successfully empower and equip 10,000 students with laptops in a matter of a few short months. Our greatest triumph yet, I am incredibly proud of my team for their hard work and for the dedication they have to create equal access for students and their families. While we were successful in providing Guilford County schools with laptops, I can’t help but think about the students who don’t have the ability to acquire the same knowledge and understanding through technology. With millions of students in America still disconnected from the vital resources essential to maintaining hope for their future, we must not forget the digital divide is a growing threat to our children. There are countless ways to help the community at our fingertips and no limit to the number of lives we can change together. 

Please visit our website www.technologyforthefuture.org and join our movement to help provide every student in America with the opportunity to dream through equal access to technology. Together, we can put humanity first and change the world!