Last fall, the Hispanic Heritage Foundation contacted KIND’s Los Angeles office to ask if 25 clients would be interested in attending a week-long coding camp. We responded that while we were grateful for the offer, the reality is that most of KIND’s California clients do not have the technology required for coding. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, progress on digital equity (devices and internet access) in the state stalled in 2021. Forty-one percent of low-income households still do not have full digital access for distance learning; neither do 37 percent of Latino households. In fact, most of KIND’s clients face a digital divide.
The Foundation responded with incredible generosity: they donated 200 new laptops. They also provided two teachers to lead virtual and in-person workshops on digital literacy and coding. We distributed 75 laptops in Fresno and 125 in Los Angeles and will assist clients with signing up for low-income internet programs. This significant donation marks a pivotal step in bridging the digital gap for unaccompanied youth. The laptops will empower them not only to participate in the coding camp, but also to engage in virtual mental health therapy, attend doctors’ appointments, pursue ESL/GED classes, and connect with KIND’s legal team when they need to do so.
Computer Donation Allows KIND’s California Staff to Dream Bigger
With their newly digitally accessible clients, the staff can explore implementing new initiatives—including workforce readiness, welfare benefits applications, study groups for driver’s license tests, workshops on social issues, and much more. Virtual offerings will also help reduce access barriers often faced by unaccompanied youth in both rural and urban settings: lack of transportation, long travel distances, or traffic.
“I want to thank the donators who have given me a computer because it will allow me to continue to study and work. Thank you so much.” -KIND client in Los Angeles.
