Saint John Baptist Church After-School Program

Stanton, TN

Computers 4 Kids recently donated 20 brand new Dell computers to the Saint John Baptist Church After-School Program in Haywood County, a program that is serving as a hub of connectivity to a community with limited access to broadband technology. Currently, the program has 31 kids signed up to participate, but hopes to eventually be able to open its’ doors to at least 200 – 300 children. The program also plans to ultimately welcome the entire community to come and use the computers at designated hours throughout the week.

State Representative Jonny Shaw serves as the pastor of Saint John Church and remarked that the impact of the computers on his rural county would be significant.

“I am delighted that the Saint John Baptist Church After-School Program was chosen as a recipient of the Computers 4 Kids program,” said Shaw. “These computers will help Haywood County’s youth to connect to the rest of the world and compete in the technology-driven world that we live in. This charitable donation will enhance and enrich the lives of the children in this community for many years to come.”

 

The Children's Home/Chambliss Shelter

Chattanooga, TN

Computers 4 Kids recently donated six new computers to the Children's Home/Chambliss Shelter (CH/CS) in Chattanooga. The CH/CS is comprised of two programs on one campus. The Children's Home is an Early Childhood Education and Care Program that serves children from 6 weeks to 12 years, with all fees based on the parent's income. The Chambliss Shelter is a residential program for children ages 6 to 18 who have been removed from their home for various reasons. Children stay at the Chambliss Shelter until the problems at home can be resolved, until another family member is found to care for the child or until the child is placed with a foster family.

“The opportunities that are being afforded to these deserving citizens through the Computers 4 Kids program are virtually immeasurable,” said Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield. “This contribution will serve to help our community give these kids and families access to the Internet and its many educational resources. This is an investment in not only these fine citizens and worthy organizations, but also in the future of the great city of Chattanooga.”

 

Audrey Carey

For Audrey Carey, opening the letter that told her she would be receiving a brand new Dell computer was like an answer to a prayer. For the young mother of four who had fallen on hard times, the computer was, in her words, “a dream come true.”

Audrey was born and raised in Gallatin but moved to Atlanta several years ago with her four children. After living there for five years, Audrey got the call at work one day that her home had caught on fire. Her children were home, and thankfully, no one was hurt. The house, however, was destroyed. Audrey and her kids lost everything and were forced to move from place to place until finally settling into a shelter. Not long after that, on the day before Thanksgiving this year, Audrey packed up her four kids, ages 3 to 17, and all their belongings in a U-Haul and moved home.

The day after commenting to her mother about how badly she needed a computer for her kids, Audrey received a letter in the mail from her Department of Human Services case manager telling her she would soon be receiving a brand new computer. She had been selected based on her outstanding performance in the DHS Families First program, a program that emphasizes work, training and personal responsibility. “My kids started jumping up and down!” she says. Audrey and her kids were so excited, they even framed the letter, where it hangs in their home today.

Audrey is currently working at a nursing home, attending night school to obtain her GED, and preparing for massage therapy school. And thanks to her new computer, Audrey’s daughter was recently able to perform research to win an essay contest that won her a $500 prize! The family’s success is something that Audrey gives credit to her computer for…and a little help from upstairs. “I guess the Lord heard me!” she says.

 

Lotez Holloway

Lotez Holloway is a 17-year-old junior in high school. He entered state custody five years ago because his mother was addicted to drugs. “Lotez’s mother had sold all the furniture in the house for crack, and Lotez and his brother and sister didn’t have any food,” explains his case manager, Connor Hoke. While in the foster care system, Lotez lived in six foster homes and attended four high schools. Despite his circumstances, Lotez maintains good grades and excellent behavior at school. “Lotez is still able to have a smile on his face. He’s still able to talk about good things in his life, and he’s also able to plan for the future,” says Connor. One of Lotez's biggest dreams recently came true when he was adopted by a family in Mt. Juliet.