LAPTOP UPCYCLE ANNOUNCES OUTREACH COLLABORATION WITH MONTCLAIR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (MNDC)

Nov 22, 2017 – Laptop Upcycle and the Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation (MNDC) have created an informal partnership to support two key components of our shared mission: 1) technology education within the Montclair community, and 2) delivery of school-ready computer technology to low income students in Montclair. 

Elaine Spears, MNDC’s Director of Program Services & Case Management, couldn’t be more pleased, “Closing the technology gap for Montclair students is imperative. Many residents don’t realize that the high school especially has switched to an almost exclusively-electronic homework model. Low income students without home access to the Google classroom account or student account have to create their own system to get their everyday homework complete using a patchwork of services available at the high school, Montclair Public Library, their friends and neighbors. As we identify students in need of home computers, we are thrilled to have a solution through Laptop Upcycle.”

​Laptop Upcycle and MNDC initiated their informal partnership with an initial delivery of laptops to MNDC’s Montclair students in late October. Laptop Upcycle is supporting MNDC’s November college preparation Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) training program with equipment and network connectivity. The two organizations will be working together this fall to plan additional community technology training events in the spring. 

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To donate personal or corporate laptops, go to www.LaptopUpcycle.org. Donors receive a tax-deductible receipt for each usable, donated computer. For Montclair middle school or high school students without home computer access, students and families should contact their school guidance counselor or go to http://www.laptopupcycle.org/get-technology.html to apply for a laptop and/or wifi.

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Laptop Upcycle’s mission is to eliminate technology impediments contributing to Montclair’s academic achievement gap. Program volunteers provide outreach, collect, refresh and distribute donated private and corporate laptop donations to low-income middle and high school students who do not have home computer access. Laptop Upcycle is a program of HackNCraftNJ, Inc (Montclair, NJ), a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. Visit www.LaptopUpcycle.org for more information or follow us on https://www.facebook.com/laptopupcycle/ for announcements and success stories.

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Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation is a nonprofit that empowers and supports disadvantaged individuals, youth, and families in Montclair to achieve an improved quality of life through training, education, and advocacy. https://montclairmndc.org