An Evening of Gratitude Funds 36 Laptops for YMCA Program
In March 2013, MCFS held its annual donor appreciation event, An Evening of Gratitude. Through generous corporate sponsorships, individual donations and money raised from the silent auction, we were able to fully fund 22 and partially fund 14 laptops to the YMCA’s Multicultural Achievers Program, a career and college readiness program for 450 low-income, students of color in 9th-12th grade.
The goal of the program is to decrease the opportunity gap for these students by providing a path to high school graduation, career exploration, and access to higher education. The program guides students through the college application process with support from caring adult YMCA mentors.
A significant barrier to succeeding at college can be a lack of technology literacy, as well as a lack of a personal computer. College students are expected to use computers to complete assignments, correspond with teachers and classmates via email, conduct research, etc. and may of the students in the Multicultural Achievers program will go to college without a personal computer.
At the end of every school year the YMCA has a party to celebrate the accomplishments of the Achievers and to say goodbye to those that are graduating. This year 78 senior Achievers are graduating high school and we are thrilled to have had the opportunity to donate 22 laptops and split the cost of an additional 14 laptops so that every graduate moving on to secondary school will have a computer.
Thank you so much to everyone who joined us at An Evening of Gratitude and helped us make this donation possible. Your support has changed the lives of and opened a new world of opportunities for these 22 students.
