Maryland

Sunshine in My Heart

Poem by Nichole Smith
Student, Maryland

I have been working with the National Cristina Foundation since 1996. The teachers in our special education department wanted computers for their students for use to learn word processing, to use programs for reading and math remediation, and to assist the students in becoming computer literate. We started out small...but through the generosity of the National Cristina Foundation donors, we now have several computers in every classroom and resource room throughout our K-12 district.

These weren't always the latest models, but with our network system, we were able to put the computers to good use. Our school population includes children with special educational needs, students who receive Title I reading support, students who are learning English as a Second Language, and our general education students. We were able to set up a computer station (a group of 4 computers) in our 2 Essentials of Literacy classrooms. This area becomes one of the learning centers for this program.

Thank you very much for your assistance in getting the technology to our children. Keep up the good work that you are doing.

Cathy Handy
Westbury Public Schools
Westbury, NY

North Carolina

At Pathways For The Future and Western Alliance we provide services to individuals with disabilities. The individuals can be of any age or economic status. To our consumers the ability to receive a donated computer and get access to the Internet is like a breath of fresh air in a stale room. To many it is a new challenge. Many very quickly become "our area experts on surfing the web, and playing solitaire". Not only does our program offer the computers and the Internet, we also have a closed list serve. We have frequently observed friendships bloom like the flowers in a spring garden. To a lot of our consumers this is their only access to the outside world.

One person in particular comes to mind. At this time this person could not get out of his bed. Since this person has joined Pathways, he posts to the list serve on a regular basis; he has a job, has lost 150 lbs, and has become one of my favorite people in the world. Pathways made a difference in his life, but I think he has made more of an impact on our lives.

Pathways for the Future, Inc. / Western Alliance for Ind.
Sylva, NC

California

The Walking Shield American Indian Society has been the recipient of many computers, including Dell systems through the effort of the National Cristina Foundation. These computer systems have been sent to the American Indian students living on some of the most impoverished reservations in the United States. If it were not for the National Cristina Foundation many of these young people would not have the access to this valuable learning tool.

Our students are able to type their school reports, search the Internet for valuable information and communicate with students on other reservations. These computer systems have helped our young people on their academic journey. It has enhanced their abilities to produce quality and informative materials on a variety of subjects.

This type of technology has a direct bearing on their knowledge base. It gives them the competitive advantage to be able to deal with today’s high technological society. These computer systems have truly made a positive difference on our young people’s lives. In today’s world being computer literate is a must.

We appreciate the efforts of the National Cristina Foundation to secure these computer systems for our agency. We believe that education is the pathway out of poverty and these computers are critical to this effort.

John Castillo, Ph.D.
Walking Shield American Indian Society
Tustin, CA

Ohio

High School/High Tech of United Cerebral Palsy provides career exploration events to high school students, grades 9-12, who have some type of special need or disability. We also have a limited number of summer internships for eligible juniors, seniors, and some of our graduates that have gone on to college. We follow-up with the students for four years after they graduate from high school as part of our longitudinal studies.

Many of our students do not have the financial or technical resources to have a computer within their home. Providing them with a home-based computer will increase their technical abilities, as well as knowledge through use of the world wide web with school work, projects, etc. If a student needs special adaptations to operate a computer, United Cerebral Palsy has an Assistive Technology Practitioner on staff.

Josh, who is a senior at the Cleveland Public School System, won the laptop that was donated from the National Cristina Foundation. The laptop was raffled off at our Fall Kick-Off, which is held yearly to start off the High School/High Tech Program's career exploration events. Josh's family does not have a home computer of any kind. The laptop he now has will allow him to carry it to school for assignments, save items to disk, and then continue his work at home.

United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland
Cleveland, OH

New York

NCF is the leading source of our equipment needs. Whether helping developmentally challenged children in Germany, or the destitute in far flung parts of Africa, or even the working poor in Georgia and South Carolina, our JFK Airport Rotary Club and our Dist. 7250 is most grateful to NCF for helping us meet our needs to help others, and to reach this year's goal, of LENDING A HAND

Dennis Klainberg
JFK Rotary Club
Jamaica, NY

National Cristina Foundation has been beneficial in supporting Assistive Technology Exchange Network (ATEN) to secure donations of computers, monitors, laptops, printers, software and assorted peripherals since our conception in 1995. Together National Cristina Foundation with ATEN has assisted in closing the gap of the digital divide for students with disabilities throughout the State of Illinois. The collaboration and resources provided through this partnership would not have been realized without this coordination. It is through continued support of partners such as National Cristina Foundation, that allows ATEN to fulfill it’s mission of advancing the independence of individuals with disabilities, by enriching their lives, providing support to their families and educators. Our continued partnership will secure our common missions to advocate for inclusion in every facet of community life.

Debbie Jensen
ATEN (Assistive Technology Exchange Network)
Chicago, IL