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Computers for the Coast
Due to the BP oil spill that has impacted the Gulf of Mexico’s natural
environments and the multitude of livelihoods dependent on them, many
families and children are in an economic crisis. Lives have been turned
upside down. Computers are expensive items that may become out of reach
for many of these families. The CACRC will refurbish between 500 to
1000 computers to distribute into the oil impacted parishes-Computers
for the Coast.
After Katrina the CACRC called upon the nation for used computers and
received thousands of computers and monitors from all over the country.
The CACRC refurbished and donated 3500 computers to displaced
individuals, schools, and organizations. About half of these computers
went to individuals. The CACRC was the only non-profit working on a
large scale to provide computer equipment to those displaced by the
Hurricanes. Almost every home that was flooded lost their computer and
this is a piece of equipment that is expensive to replace. Many of the
school boards desperately needed computers for entire parishes.
Individuals needed a computer to find a job, locate housing, understand
what services were available to them, and participate in forums
designed for them and their ultimate return to New Orleans or former
communities. Children needed a computer to do home work from their
current location. Many families are unable to drive these children to
the library to use a computer.
The CACRC will use our Katrina relief effort as a model for Computers
for the Coast program. In the parishes
with economies hardest hit by the oil disaster, the CACRC will work
with local nonprofits, local governments, churches and others to
identify and contact those needing computers. These parishes include
Plaquemines, St. Bernard, Lafourche, Terrebonne, and Jefferson. We will
target families with children that have proof of low income or
paperwork that identifies that they are impacted by the oil disaster.
Some of the computers will be a complete donation and some will be for
sale for a price ranging between $50-100.
The CACRC will partner with many agencies that we worked with after
Katrina: Catholic Charities, Community Center of St. Bernard, local
parish governments, and churches. We will also reach out to the Mary
Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corp. to ensure that we can meet
the needs of those impacted within the Vietnam community.
Please help us make our goals of this important project by donating!
Thank you!
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