Your donations have made a difference!
Thanks to all of you who donated time or money to help get our youth and families digitally connected.
Here is one way your donations have made a difference: Jeremi F. had to leave high school last spring for family reasons — he found out he was going to be a dad! Not long afterward, thanks to a generous CYS donor, he received a new Chromebook with which to continue his studies. With the new device, Jeremi was able to complete his GED and submit job applications, which in turn allowed him to secure work to provide for his mom and his new family. Today, he is busy working on creating a clothing and accessories business, and hopes to go on to college. Thanks to you, Jeremi is on his way!
The CYS Digital Divide Campaign is one of many ways our community has responded to the COVID-19 crisis. As schools shut down, many students were unable to access distance learning, to participate in restorative justice diversion, or access social services vital to their well-being. CYS Executive Director Jessica Ellis shared this distressing news with CYS friend and president of the Everychild Foundation, Jacqueline Caster, and together, the two conceived of the CYS Campaign to Bridge the Digital Divide. Within days of this urgent need being identified, CYS’s community of friends and supporters generously provided cash and in-kind contributions of new and gently used Chromebooks, laptops, and smartphones.
CYS staff and volunteers set up a system to identify specific youths in need, collect new and used devices, and fanned out across the city to provide “contactless” delivery of the equipment to grateful students and their families.
As CYS continues to serve new families, the need for devices is still growing. Click here to add your support!