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| COMMENTS
FROM SOME RECIPIENTS ACROSS AMERICA |
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CALIFORNIA
I hope that more PALs and their
kids can work with your wonderful foundation because
it has made a huge impact on the lives of our kids.
We love having the extra computers for our homework
lab and it has been so exciting to all of the kids to
be able to do their homework. (Our kids cannot afford
to have a computer at home.) We used to have to force
the kids to go to homework lab. Now they want to go
and do their homework on the computers and are so proud
of the results! I am sure that these computers are going
to result in many improved grades. Your organization
is truly making a difference in the lives of our PAL
kids!
Thanks Again,
Barbara Egigian Bonilla
Director of Development and Operations
Redwood City Police Department Police Activities League
This is to inform you that we received the iMac yesterday
evening. We are really impressed how well the donor
took care of the computer. We found it to be absolutely
beautiful.
I had no problems putting it together
this afternoon. It was very easy to assemble. I assembled
it at the Hope Haven Transitional Shelter along with
the Epson printer for a woman who has been living in the
shelter for two years to date.
You should feel good to know that
the equipment went to a twenty four year old young lady
who never knew a mother, lived from foster home to foster
home, and has a dad that lives out of state. We are
doing all that we can to help her to transition back
into society as a self-sufficient young woman.
We thank you so, so, so much for
blessing our program with excellent used equipment.
Sharon Spencer, CEO
HOPE HAVEN TRANSITIONAL SHELTER, INC.
I would like to thank you for your
support and diligence in obtaining a laptop to aid Chris
in having access to communicate with others and to assist
him in doing his school work. I was so disappointed
to have our school district deny him access to a laptop
after we rallied so hard for it with distinct and validated
information due to his learning disabilities and now
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. To imagine having a special
education evaluator for Assistive Technology tell you
that the letter in her hand from the head of Pediatric
Rheumatology at Lucille Packard Hospital supporting
Chris to have laptop for assistance will not be considered
because he does not take medical recommendations was
a disservice to not only my son, but to any child needing
technology to assist them educationally,
socially and emotionally.
So, knowing you existed was a light at the end of a
very dark tunnel.
Chris will not forget the day he met you, saw where
PatchWorx all begins, and of course receiving your generosity
by providing him with a reconditioned laptop for his
personal use.
Also to let you know with the denial to the laptop also
came a denial from the District for technology support
for his academic needs. I was successful to have our
local community college disabilities program coordinator
present Christopher’s needs to the board, and
they agreed to allow him to be a con-currently enrolled
student there along with still being in high school.
Our local college has one of the largest computer labs
in the state. The lab is accessible for anyone with
a disability to aid them with assistive technology.
Chris begins this Monday 8-29 in a class with one-on-one
instruction, and he will learn all that these wonderful
programs have to offer him. We hope this will be the
missing link to aid him in being a successful student
and of course help in producing work due to his reading/written
language problems and arthritis.
Thank you again,
Michelle Cabrera
Chris Cabrera
and Family
Tyronne is
one of the clients served by the Cerebral Palsy Center
for the Bay Area in Oakland, California. The Center
serves 80 participants with developmental; and severe
physical disabilities. Their model emphasizes self-determination
and independent living skills. Tyronne uses a computer
donated by the National Cristina Foundation. Here are
some of his thoughts about his goals for himself.
My name is Tyronne. I have Cerebral
Palsy. I have been in a wheelchair all my life. The
way I get over being in a wheelchair is by creating
art. I use a computer with special software called,
“Flying Colors” (Magic Mouse Productions,
Inc.) and Kid Pix Deluxe (Broderbund) software. My art
has a lot to do with me helping myself because I can
create art independently. I was first interested in
art when I was nine years old. I liked watching cartoons
and movies. I got ideas about how to draw things. I
kept doodling until I got it right. Before I discovered
art I kept things inside me and didn’t talk much.
When my sister went out it reminded me of how much I
wanted to walk. Sometimes people would ask my sister
questions about me or try to help me without asking
me. I wanted to be treated like everyone else. I wanted
to be recognized as an individual and treated with dignity.
I didn’t want to feel like I was invisible. I
always let people know I was there and that I had feelings
and thoughts. My mom and dad always told me they would
be there for me and that was very comforting to me.
They encouraged me to let my feelings out.
Some of the kids only spoke to me because they felt
sorry for me. I didn’t like that. I also had friends
who liked me for my personality and that was good. I
wanted to be my own person.
After I graduated, my family got a new home and that
is where I live now. I began looking for a job and stayed
home for a year. My mom found out about the Cerebral
Palsy Center from my case manager. A counselor came
to my house. She made an appointment for me to see the
Center. She told me that the Cerebral Palsy Center would
be a good place to go to get ready for college.
I’ve been waiting to start a career in art. I’ve
been looking into going to college so that I can take
a class in art. I express what I go through in my pictures.
Sometimes it’s harder for me to express my feelings
when I think about my disability, so I express the way
I feel through my pictures. The people I want to thank
are my mom & dad for the support they have given
me. |
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COLORADO
Westminster Elementary students
and families have benefited from donated computers
provided through the Cristina Foundation. Many in
our school community did not have access to or the
means by which they could access technology. Through
your generous support we have been able to supply
them with computers they can use at home and to "close
the gap" for many
Thank you!!
Westminster Elementary School
Westminster, Colorado |
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CONNECTICUT
Dr. Marrin,
I am writing to thank you for the
generous donations of computer equipment we have received
from the National Cristina Foundation and your partnership
with Dell Computer Corporation.
We provide computer learning classes
for people with severe physical disabilities in our
Computer Learning Center. This program is fitted with
assistive technology, which is hardware, or software that
allows computer access for people with disabilities.
We have participants who have no use of their hands
who are learning Microsoft products, sending and receiving
e-mail, taking distance learning courses and self-paced
learning. They are achieving their educational goals
on the computers we have received.
Since the events of September 11th
non-profits like ours have seen a significant decline
in donations and grant opportunities. The equipment
we have received through your partnership has made
a world of difference for the people we serve. We couldn’t
have done it without your help.
Sincerely,
Bill Pelter,
Assistant Executive Director
Letter
from a representative of a state agency
Here in the North Region of the Department
of Mental Retardation (DMR) in the state of Connecticut,
we support individuals with various cognitive and physical
disabilities. Professionals and support staff in all
disciplines at DMR are committed to assisting our consumers
to access and utilize resources in the community that
enrich their lives in myriad ways. We support individuals
who live independently, with their families, in community
training or group homes, or in supported living arrangements.
Most of the individuals we support
at DMR have special needs or requirements associated
with activities of daily living, education, communication,
mobility, medical issues, and/or vocational endeavors.
Over the past year, the National Cristina Foundation
has directed through the donor community approximately
40 computers to the consumers we support at DMR at the
statewide level.
Individuals that would have otherwise
not been able to afford their own computer system are
thrilled with the prospect of having their very own
system for skill development, communication, recreation,
and more. Families, Case Managers and various support
staff strive to enhance the quality of life of those
individuals we assist. The National Cristina Foundation
has made improving "quality of life" to consumers
a reality.
On behalf of our donation recipients
across the state, and staff at DMR....Thanks NCF!
Respectfully,
Amy M. Blazawski, MSW Support
Broker/Case Manager –
DMR Representative
East Hartford, CT |
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DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA
Since Urban Ed. Inc. became an
NCF partner organization last year, we have received
nearly 100 donated computer items which includes computer
systems, printers and other equipment all of which
have helped us both organizationally and programmatically.
Because of the National Cristina Foundation, Urban
Ed has been able to upgrade our training lab with
better systems (Pentium IIIs, 800Mhz - 1Ghz) as well
as increase our lab capacity. We've been able to provide
turnkey computer systems to over 30 of our low-income
participants with technology for use in their homes.
By providing technology in the home our participants
have been able to keep pace with our classroom instruction
by working on assignments at home, taking care of important
personal matters electronically and professionally
as well as helping other family members and younger children
complete
homework and other academic enrichments.
I can't express enough how truly
instrumental the support of the Cristina Foundation
has been to Urban Ed. Because of our partnership we've
accomplished a lot in terms of the growth and development
of our programs and our own capacity. I look forward
to continuing to bridge children, young adults and
families to technology for online training and professional
development with National Cristina Foundation’s
help.
Roxanne J. Williams
Urban Ed, Inc.
Washington, DC |
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FLORIDA
Thank you so much for connecting
us with David, a very generous donor. One of our students
is now the proud owner of a very fast Dell computer
and printer. We're even writing up a story about it
for our local press.
Tina Selinsky
New Directions Program Coordinator
Gulf Coast Community Care |
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GEORGIA
At Tools for Life we decided that
we would like to develop an effective program for
getting donations of computer equipment to people
with disabilities. I was charged with the task of
creating this program. We named it ReBoot. ReBoot has
since become a statewide, collaborative effort of
many groups and organizations committed to re-using
computers. We are dedicated to actively promoting
independence for people with disabilities. We are
operated 85% by dedicated volunteers--by people with
disabilities, for people with disabilities. The National
Cristina Foundation provided help to ReBoot on many
levels.
Carolyn Phillips
Tools for Life
Georgia |
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ILLINOIS
The nursing facility was able to open an internet
computer lab for the senior citizens. The lab is used
by the seniors to email relatives, keep informed, and
for recreation. The lab is a gathering place because the
seniors can reach outside of their closed-in environment.
The donation allowed them to upgrade and maintain computer
hardware, software and internet connections; provide
training and guidance; and enabled the seniors to get
involved in different projects.
A community nursing home
Naperville, IL |
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MASSACHUSETTS
Working with NCF has been extremely
gratifying. We have very limited funding from the
state. We are a grassroots level agency serving community
mental health. The state has next to nothing for our
programs to purchase computers (capital expense).
NCF has allowed us (more so than any other organization)
to make contact with donors, many who are individuals
who are changing their equipment. In turn, we have received good
to excellent quality computers that we have been able
to place in clinical settings to work with clients.
The children’s program uses computers. Teamwork
(troubled teen program) is using computers.
This partnership has allowed us
to be able to serve the public in a very direct way
to take care of their needs. NCF has been a wonderful
organization for us. We would not have been able to
get funding from any other source to purchase computers.
It is personally satisfying to me to be able to partner
with NCF and then meet with people (donors) in our
service area. Every time the donor feels really good
about how where their equipment is going to be donated.
We have a wide range of services and people (donors)
always feel very positive about their donation.
Kenin Strout
Fiscal Director
The Carson Center for Human Services
Westfield, MA
On behalf of the foster parents
that we service at the Arlington Area Office (servicing
21 communities), we would like to thank you for all
the personal computers that were given to us over
the last year. The individuals that gave the computers
were so happy to do so. They even gave instruction
as to how to put them together and make them friendly.
The families and children who received computers
were also so glad to get them. They were able to do
homework and get on the Internet.
We thank you for your partnership
and the way you have made it so easy to obtain a personal
computer for children and families that could not
afford one.
Again Thank You.
P'Ann Wimberly
Family Resource Social Worker
Arlington, Massachusetts
BOSTON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
Dear Dr. Marrin:
On behalf of the Board, visitors
and staff of the Boston Children's Museum, I would
like to thank National Cristina Foundation for the
wonderful donation of computers. They are an important
addition to our new access/ABILITY exhibit.
access/ABILITY is a disability
awareness exhibit with a strong message that all people
share the same basic needs for family, friendship,
and accomplishment. Putting people first before their
disabilities, the exhibit presents individuals with
disabilities participating in everyday life
activities. It shows that having a disability is just
one of many attributes that go into making a person
who they are. People may learn differently, communicate
differently, or get around
differently, but everyone has a gift, everybody can
teach something about life. When visitors leave access/ABILITY
they walk away knowing that although we may all be
different, in many ways we are all the same.
We have acknowledged National Cristina
Foundation's contribution in the exhibit's credit
panel. We hope you and other National Cristina Foundation
employees will be able to visit the Museum to see
access/ABILITY and see your product in this exciting
exhibition. It is generous supporters like National
Cristina Foundation that enable Boston Children's
Museum to continue to offer a wide range of exhibits
and programming on a regular basis.
Thank you again for your donation.
Very truly yours,
Gail Ringel
Vice President, Exhibits
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NEW
JERSEY
We, the New Jersey/Haiti Partners of the Americas,
are happy to accept the donation of PC Laptops as described
in your email. Kindly advise when and where we should
arrange the pick-up.
On behalf of our organization, I
would like to thank you and your donor for your generosity
and to assure you that the equipment will be put to
good use.
Doris H. Crocker
Executive Director
New Jersey/Haiti Partners of the Americas |
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NEW YORK
THANK YOU for thinking of us. This
large donation will allow us to put 2 to 3 computers
in each of our living units. I'm sure the young people
we care for in our residential treatment program will
be forever grateful.
Hawthorne Cedar Knolls
Hawthorne, NY
You have no idea what a difference
NCF has made in the lives
of the teachers and students of I.S 143.
I always tell the teachers to make a computer technology
wish list and most often you help fulfill it as a
donation. Thank you for all you have done in 2004.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Gioya—
I.S. 143-Penny Harvest Gardens
New York City |
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OHIO
Josh, who is a senior at the Cleveland
Public School System and attending the High School/High
Tech Program (a program for students with disabilities)
received a laptop from NCF. 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.
High School/High Tech Program
Cleveland Public Schools |
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PENNSYLVANIA
We began a partnership with Cristina
in April of 2005. This made it possible this summer
to begin a program for under-privileged adults. A
woman who worked in NYC became disabled and when she
moved to the Pocono region of PA after her onset of
disability, she attended our first 6-week training
session. This is 55 miles from Allentown. She would
travel 110 miles round trip each week and came regularly.
She did not want to stay on disability. She wanted
to learn computer skills and regain her strength to
enter the workforce. She also brought with her several
people that had the same goals. Due to the donations
from the Cristina Foundation, she became the proud
owner of a PII provided to her free of charge. She
also received a laser printer. Her three other friends
who studied with her also received PIIs and a printers
that came from the Cristina Foundation. With the assistance
of one of her grown children, she expects to be in
the workforce within 6 months.
Computers for Kids, USA
Allentown, PA
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RHODE
ISLAND
The donation of computers we have received from the
National Cristina Foundation has been a tremendous asset
to our organization. This donation has allowed us to
expand our Children and Youth Programs at one of our
facilities. The children use these computers in the
Advent House Learning Academy, which is an after school
learning program. The teenagers also use them in the
Advent Business Academy, which is a job training program.
We look forward in continuing our collaboration with
the National Cristina Foundation. These future donations
will be used to establish an on-site job training and
educational center for the residents of our shelter.
Without the existence of the National Cristina Foundation
and the work they do, we would not be able to expand
our services to the homeless or even develop new programs.
Thank you.
Jamie Ullrich
Development Director
Advent House
Providence, RI
Providence Assembly of God Learning Center has been
thrilled to partner with the Cristina Foundation in
repurposing technology equipment from businesses and
individuals in our computer lab. We have received a
variety of computers, which have been set up in our
eight-workstation computer lab used to disarm fears
and teach beginner adults the skills they need to equip
them in today's highly competitive job market. Our most
recent donation consisted of a CPU, monitor, keyboard,
mouse and printer, which we were able to set up in the
children's literacy room for the after school program.
The room is a reading lab where the Liberian immigrants we serve
can practice spelling and phonics skills using tutorial
software to help them catch up with their peers. We
are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the donors
and the connections that the Cristina Foundation has
made possible. We would not have this technology aspect
to our program without it.
Jean Marrapodi
Director of Education
Providence Assembly of God Learning Center
Providence, RI |
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TEXAS
Texas Mental Health Consumers (TMHC)
is a non-profit organization with 501(c)3 status.
TMHC’s mission is to organize, encourage, and
educate mental health consumers in Texas. TMHC supports
and promotes the mental health recovery process through
peer directed and operated services, advocacy, economic
development, and participation in public mental health
policy design. TMHC has been working with the National
Cristina Foundation for the past several years. The
donations that we have received through NCF have been
beneficial to our chapter development around the state
of Texas and to the individuals they serve.
Dawn Parker
Assistant Executive Director
Texas Mental Health Consumers
Bajito
Onda~Dallas, Texas
A partner organization- and
two donors that found NCF through the donation channel
on the Dell website
I never dreamed of what could come
from a simple conversation I had with a computer volunteer
at my foundation, Bajito Onda. He told me that if
I ever needed computer parts or even full computers
for my organization that I should contact Dell Computers
and ask them for a donation. That night, when I went
to their site after things had slowed down at Bajito
Onda, I saw the link to the National Cristina Foundation
and I applied immediately to be a partner.
Over the years, Bajito Onda has
become known for teaching persons who are in gangs
or who have been in prison how to print shirts, decals,
posters, business cards, flyers, caps, vehicle lettering
and graphics. However, I did not want unskilled and
often undereducated 'newbies' touching my few precious
working computers that most often cost us an arm and
a leg to buy.
It was only a day or so after
I applied and was accepted that I received an email
from NCF with an offer of two donated computers. To
my amazement, they were laptops and in very good condition!
They even had leather cases and all the attachments
to go with them. I dropped everything and went downtown
and picked them up personally. I am embarrassed to
admit just how jealous I was for at least ten years
as I watched everyone under the sun take out their
laptops and use them with such ease—I could
never afford one and definitely none were ever donated
or made available to us. I wasn’t sure if I
was dreaming or if there really was an organization
that could be making such miracles possible for those
of us working in the trenches of
society and youth violence prevention.
I did not want my dream to end
so I carefully guarded our two laptops just in case
we had no more computers coming our way for a while.
After just a few more, however, we received multiple
offers of donations and went out to pick them up.
This contact offered us an opportunity to tell the
donors about our work since they were very curious
about where their computers were going and how they
would be helping the community. That was another amazing
benefit to partnering with the Cristina Foundation
- linking us to potential future donors who would
have otherwise never have even known we existed!
Well, we got used to a few computers
being donated here and there on a fairly regular basis,
but when we received a notice that someone wanted
to donate 50 monitors and 49 CPU's, I sort of panicked!
Wow! That's great but what will we ever do with that
many computers? I rented a truck for that donation
and went out to pick them all up. They were on 3 pallets
all wrapped in the plastic. The company was very helpful
and loaded them on the truck for me.
I was able to get Mr. Avalos,
a Bajito Onda graphic designer and employee, to donate
his time if we bought the parts to connect the remaining
computers together to create what I dreamed of as
a mini computer learning center, or cyber café,
as they are called in Mexico where my work with youth
violence gang prevention has taken me five times during
2004. I noticed in Mexico that all the young students
and good kids seemed to gather at the local corner
internet cafe. I thought of it as another way I could
get Dallas kids to interest themselves in things other
than gangs and drugs.
Since we are located in the worst
part of Dallas, without much outreach being done to
help our kids, I wanted to do something to change
this. The Cyber Café seemed like the
perfect solution. I realized that Rob, my graphic
design apprentice, would be the perfect person to
help me.
He is now tutoring kids, as well
as adults who were previously afraid of computers,
in how to use our new technology and is doing a great
job. Now we have children and parents coming into
our Bajito Onda Computer Learning Center, which is
open to all ages. Everyone teaches everyone here.
Bajito Onda encourages cross media work and training
and we train unskilled people—even kids to operate
complicated computers and digital equipment. Everyone
is very busy, creative and productive... which is
an amazing social transformation from gang involvement
and at-risk behavior to corporate careers and education.
Because of National Cristina Foundation’s
miracle connection to our very humble foundation we
are now able to pass along the same miracle to the
lives around us - the miracle of education, communication,
and allowing dreams of someday becoming a computer
engineer or web designer to actually become a reality.
Thank You for All You Do For Others,
Del Hendrixson, Founder
www.bajitoonda.org / est. 1985
After graduating from ATI Career
Training Center in graphic design I was unable to
find a job. Bajita Onda has given me a lot more training
in what I went to school for and has also cross-trained
me in other departments. I went from knowing the basics
to being in charge of the offset print department
as well as assisting in sign making and putting out
films for screen printing. The Bajita Onda computer
learning center allows people who don’t have
Internet access or don’t know how to use a computer
to have a place to come and learn the basics such
as typing skills and how to use the Internet. I am
thankful to Bajita Onda for giving me, as well as
the community, a chance and a place to learn, meet
new friends, and help people.
Rob Avalos, Graphic Designer - Bajito Onda
Dallas, Texas
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VIRGINIA
Because of
the computer donations received through the National
Cristina Foundation, our organization has been able
to set up a computer lab, which has been used to provide
computer training to physically and mentally-challenged
youth and inner-city youth. In addition, we have given
used computers to over 80 low-income families with school-aged
children. This fall, we will offer free on-line GED
classes to inner-city youth and adults in our computer
lab.
Without the computer donations from
the National Cristina Foundation, which really helped
Good Seed Good Ground become well known throughout the
community, we wouldn't have been able to do a great
portion of what we do.
Renita M. Parker
Executive Director
Good Seed Good Ground
Newport News, VA |
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WASHINGTON
Washington PAVE (serving families
with children with disabilities), has been able to
help many families thanks to the National Cristina
Foundation and its many donors. PAVE has been able
to donate computers and printers to families who have
a member with a disability which enables them to gain
access to the internet to find resources and information
or to support their child with a disability. One parent
reported that she was unable to purchase another computer
after hers broke. Her son, who has a learning disability,
needed one for his schoolwork
Our organization would not have
had the opportunity without the Cristina Foundation
to purchase much needed computers for families who
otherwise did not have the means to obtain them.
Sandy Trujillo
Washington PAVE
Tacoma, WA |
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