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EqOpTech bridges the digital and education divide with Community Grant from Los Altos Community Foundation
EqOpTech, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $4,000 grant from Los Altos Community Foundation (LACF). These funds will support the “Bridging the Digital Divide with Refurbished Computers” Program.
EqOpTech’s mission is to make technology available and accessible to all by giving away computers in underserved communities while engaging interns to refurbish, repair computers and teach STEM classes to benefit at-risk students. The organization continues to fight for tech access amid COVID-19 as classes move online. EqOpTech deploys computers to support students’ virtual learning programs in Los Altos, Mountain View, Palo Alto and neighboring cities.
Read press release here and news article from Los Altos Town Crier
Laptop giveaway supports students lacking computer access
By Zoe Morgan, Town Crier
Hundreds of parents and students lined up outside the multipurpose room at Mariano Castro Elementary School in Mountain View on the evening of Nov. 22 to receive a free laptop.
EqOpTech, a local student-led nonprofit, handed out refurbished laptops to Castro students who didn’t have access to a computer at home. In all, more than 200 computers were distributed that evening, making it the largest laptop deployment.
Read more… Los Altos Town Crier Article
Our Equal Opportunity Technology program is made possible thanks to Los Altos Community Foundation community grant award. Visit here for more information.
EqOpTech distributes refurbished laptops to students in need
By Parisa Larson, The Talon
Castro students access personalized digital module through their Clever accounts using refurbished Chromebooks from EqOpTech
EqOpTech (Equal Opportunity Technology), a club at Los Altos and nonprofit organization, delivered 300 refurbished Chromebooks and chargers to students in need at Mariano Castro Elementary School on Friday, November 22.
EqOpTech works with individual schools to distribute refurbished laptops to students from low-income families who need them for schoolwork but can’t afford them otherwise. Although the event at Castro Elementary was their largest deployment of laptops yet, the club has previously delivered a total of 846 refurbished computers to schools in Los Altos, Mountain View, East Palo Alto, and San Jose.
Read more… The Talon Full Article
Our Equal Opportunity Technology program is made possible thanks to Los Altos Community Foundation community grant award. Visit here for more information. We are most grateful to our partners, sponsors and donors for their continuing support and generous donations.
Helping At-risk Students in Silicon Valley Get Technology at Home
By Daniel Lim, EqOpTech Intern
EqOpTech held a laptop refurbishing workshop at the Bay Club. Pictured, from left, are Eric Che, Kevin Gao, Daniel Lim, Nate Latif, Trevor Smith and Cedric Chan.
I’ve always wondered how people live without technology. How could I do my homework or study or organize events with my friends? In my life, technology is a necessity.
In fifth grade, I met a classmate who did not have access to a computer. He was assigned to our group to work on a Prezi presentation. My group would have daily Skype meetings at 7 p.m. to discuss the project and fine-tune the details, but he never joined us. He missed a big part of the discussion and couldn’t complete the project because he didn’t have a computer.
It was my first encounter with a person lacking a computer in the Silicon Valley, but unfortunately not my last. From then on, I knew I had to do something about it.
REFURBISHING LAPTOPS
Three years ago, I met Terence Lee, founder of the nonprofit Equal Opportunity Technology (EqOpTech) at Los Altos High School. The organization redeploys old laptops to those in need. The idea is simple. Many businesses and families have older but fully functional computers that are collecting dust and eventually end up in landfills. EqOpTech scouts for donations of these older laptops, receiving hundreds from school districts, nextdoor neighbors and Silicon Valley technology companies, and refurbishes them to give to children from low-income families who do not have access to computers.
Thinking that this was a perfect opportunity to help, I joined EqOpTech as an intern in 2016. Since then, I have refurbished hundreds of donated laptops and organized a few laptop drives in Los Altos and Mountain View elementary schools, approaching principals and IT specialists for donations of their outdated Macbooks that were no longer in use. Recently, I led a campaign to refurbish 50 laptops for children in East Palo Alto, and we will soon be sending 50 more. Students can now do research and complete their online homework with the donated laptops.
STEM EDUCATION
Providing the technology is not enough. Teaching children how to use the technology and offering STEM education so that they can break the poverty cycle is the second pillar of our program.
EqOpTech has teamed up with Sunday Friends of San Jose to roll out and implement pilot STEM education workshops using the redeployed computers to access online educational programs such as Khan Academy and Scratch. Students attending the workshops are mentored by our EqOpTech high school volunteers, who developed personalized learning plans for them tailored to their STEM interests and needs. Students engaged in the workshops are rewarded with badges and have priority access to the dedicated laptops of the regular Sunday Friends program.
At-risk students at Sunday Friends also can also earn EqOpTech refurbished laptops after completing the Sunday Friends curriculum. Our goal is to help students develop a passion for lifelong learning with the technology tools to support it.
SANTA RITA LAPTOP DRIVE
Reusing technology gives disadvantaged children an equal opportunity to learn, compete and be successful in school. I ask you to join me to be part of the solution. If you have an older, functional laptop with a charger, please donate it to EqOpTech. Each donated laptop will be refurbished to its full functionality with a new operating system and removal of all personal data prior to redeployment.
Drop off laptops at Santa Rita School, 700 Los Altos Ave. in Los Altos, during school hours through May 31.
Read more…
About EqOpTech
EqOpTech Inc., located in Los Altos, CA, is a 501(c)(3) IRS-designated tax exempt nonprofit organization that promotes and enables equal opportunity free access to technology for computer learning and STEM education in under-served communities. Visit EqOpTech at www.eqoptech.org
Our Equal Opportunity Technology program is made possible thanks to Los Altos Community Foundation community grant award. Visit here for more information.
EqOpTech Deploys Refurbished Laptops to East Palo Alto Students
Students standing in a circle were thrilled with their new laptops with Kevin Gao, EqOpTech President, standing in back
EqOpTech of Los Altos, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit donated 56 refurbished laptops to middle school students living in East Palo Alto, most of which have never owned a laptop before. The EqOpTech students-help-students program seeks to benefit needy students with technology tools and training to enhance their ability to excel academically. Since 2015, EqOpTech has launched a program to recycle, refurbish and redeploy unwanted laptops to support and teach the Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) program benefiting underserved students in San Jose, Mountain View, Los Altos and East Palo Alto. Each of EqOpTech’s Macbooks have been refurbished to replace their outdated Mac OS software. Students will now have easy access to computers for home use to take online classes such as Khan Academy and collaborate with classmates in online homework and research. Read more here...
To help, please consider donating used, functioning laptops and drop off at Santa Rita Elementary School office (700 Los Altos Avenue, Los Altos) from now until May 31st, 2019 Monday to Friday from 8 to 4 pm. Please disable any password prior to donating. All donations are tax-deductible. Tax receipt will be provided upon request (e-mail contact@eqoptech.org). Your tax deductible donation allows us to connect people and create partnerships around the communities.
Los Altos Nonprofit Seeking Laptop Donations for At-Risk Students
Kristina Bullock, IDT, Principal HR Business Partner and Manager of the IDT Acts of Giving Program (left) and Terence Lee, EqOpTech Founder
EqOpTech, a Los Altos 501(c)(3) nonprofit, promotes and enables free, equal access to technology for computer learning and STEM education for students in need. We are seeking functioning laptops (Windows & Mac) with appropriate power adapters on an ongoing basis. Each laptop will be refurbished to its full functionality with operating system and removal of all personal data prior to redeployment. All donated laptops will be refurbished and redeployed to at risk students in Los Altos, Mountain View, San Jose and East Palo Alto.
To donate, please drop off at Santa Rita Elementary School office (700 Los Altos Avenue, Los Altos) Monday to Friday from 8 to 4 pm by May 31, 2019. Please disable any password prior to donating. All donations are tax-deductible. Tax receipt will be provided upon request (e-mail contact@eqoptech.org) and will be e-mailed or mailed directly from EqOpTech Inc. Your tax deductible donation allows us to connect people and create partnerships around the communities.
Our Equal Opportunity Technology program is made possible thanks to Los Altos Community Foundation community grant award. Visit here for more information. We are most grateful to our partners, sponsors and donors for their continuing support and generous donations.
About EqOpTech
EqOpTech Inc. is an IRS-designated tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that enables free, equal opportunity learning via access to technology in under-served community. EqOpTech provides easy access to computer hardware, software, and mentor support in STEM education.
For more information, visit www.EqOpTech.org. Follow EqOpTech on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
EqOpTech honors 2017 President's Volunteer Service Award winners
Zosia Stafford, Terence Lee, Kevin Gao, Daniel Lim, Trevor Smith (left to right)
EqOpTech of Los Altos recognizes student volunteers with Presidential Service Awards for their service, leadership and inspiration to others. Visit here
Daily Point of Light Award honors Terence Lee
Daily Point of Light Award is a program established by President George H.W. Bush during his presidency to spotlight volunteers in the U.S., and it has grown into a bipartisan organization that promotes and mobilizes volunteerism.
Silicon Valley Teen Helps Bridge Digital Divide with Equal Access to Technology, read his story here.
Terence teaches a hands-on computer-aided design workshop (featuring the fidget spinner) in August 2017, as part of the EqOpTech Tech Talk & Workshop Series in collaboration with Silicon Valley companies.
Our Equal Opportunity Technology program is made possible thanks to Los Altos Community Foundation community grant award.
Visit here for more information.
Jefferson Award Winner Founded EqOpTech
LOS ALTOS (KPIX 5) Surveys conducted within the last year show more than one in ten California households don’t have access to the internet because many can’t afford a computer. This week’s young Jefferson Award winners is changing that. Read more here.
Jefferson Award Winner Founded EqOpTech
““It has been a real pleasure to serve the community,” Lee said. “I sincerely thank all the donors, volunteers, community partners and Bay Area companies for their continuous support.”
Lee noted that a grant from Los Altos Community Foundation supported the work of his nonprofit organization, Equal Opportunity Technology.
“We are most grateful for that,” he said. ”
Terence Lee (left) receiving his Jefferson Award Medal from Jack Russi, Chairman, Board of Governers, Jefferson Award Foundation, Courtesy of Ashley Cosmi, CBS KPIX
Our Equal Opportunity Technology program is made possible thanks to Los Altos Community Foundation community grant award.
Visit here for more information.