People’s Resource Center (PRC) on Wednesday will host a celebration in honor of its Computer Access program, which is giving away its 10,000th free, refurbished computer to a PRC client.
PRC also offers free computer classes to low-income citizens of DuPage County, and students in these classes are eligible to receive a computer for their home. The program was designed to help eliminate the "digital divide" by giving people the tools to achieve mainstream wages and a career path—long term solutions to escaping poverty.
“Distributing 10,000 computers is an enormous milestone," Kim Perez, Executive Director of People’s Resource Center said in a statement. "Through this program, PRC seeks to improve economic opportunity for low-income individuals and families living in DuPage County by increasing computer access.
PRC celebrated giving away its 8,000th computer in October 2010.
READ ABOUT THE COMPUTER TRAINING PROGRAM: "PEOPLE'S RESOURCE CENTER GIVES AWAY 8,000TH COMPUTER"
"These computers make it possible for children to do their homework at home, for students of all ages to improve their computer skills by practicing what they’ve learned, and for job seekers to keep up with their job search without needing to leave home to do so. We are thrilled that through the support and talent of so many, PRC has been able to make a positive difference in the lives of our neighbors," Perez said.
Frank Goetz of Wheaton, one of the founders of PRC and a dedicated volunteer, came up with the idea of giving away computers and worked tirelessly to make the idea come to fruition, according to a news release from PRC.
“Each of those 10,000 computers has a story behind it involving a person or organization that donated the computer to PRC, a person or team that made it operate to our standards, and usually one or more persons that trained the recipient in its use,” says Goetz.
PRC, an authorized Microsoft Registered Refurbisher (MRR), receives donated computers from local businesses including Tellabs, College of DuPage, DeVry University and Cadence Health. Other donations come from schools, libraries, and individuals. Computers are refurbished by a team of volunteers in the Computer Access department before they are given out. Since 2003, when the program began and PRC became a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher, all computers have come equipped with Microsoft software.
Individuals with a technology background are encouraged to volunteer in the Computer Access program or become a tutor for a computer class. Classes are held at both PRC locations (Wheaton and Westmont) and partner sites around the county. A new session of classes starts every seven weeks. To volunteer, go to www.peoplesrc.org and fill out the volunteer application.
PRC Wheaton also accepts PC’s from 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Computers currently being accepted include: working Windows-compatible standard desktop/tower computers (minimum speed: 2.0 Gigahertz), with typical equipment such as CD-ROM, memory, hard drive, 56K modem, Ethernet adapter.
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