SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. -Â Woodbridge High School Library Media Specialist Harry Brake takes donated computers and monitors to be refurbished and gives them to students who need them. This computer donation program is especially important to students learning remotely during the pandemic.
"When COVID broke out in March, I saw there was a lot of students that didn't have access to technology," Brake says.Â
Brake spends his days off on the road, picking up computers and monitors from places like Avalanche Industries.
"Computer companies that are putting out new Chromebooks, there's a big delay on it, so this helps fill in the gap for that delay until those can come to students," Brake says. "The big thing we've been finding is there's four or five students in one home and so sometimes the schools don't have enough technology. They have enough for one per household."
When Brake was searching for computers to give to students on freecycle.org, he connected with Dr. Stephen Palaszewski, who brought the New Outlook Pioners Computer Donation Program with him from New Jersey when he retired. The program partners with Sussex County Habitat for Humanity to refurbish and upgrade donated PC's and laptops up to 10 years old for schools, churches and others who need them.
Avalanche Industries Assistant Administrator Cody Johnston reached out to Dr. Palaszewski to donate used devices and was referred to Brake for pickup.
"We've kind of scaled down the operation that we have here and we have less employees, so a lot of these computers are kind of sitting around, not being used," Johnston says.
Brake drops off the used devices and picks up what Palaszewski has refurbished twice a week. He then sanitizes the computers before giving them to people like Psych Coordinator Joy Conway, who says Woodbridge's hybrid learning model has created a need for more technology.Â
"Those kids who are here on an A or B week, there's an opposite week where they're at home, or we have the kids that are remote, so if they don't have a computer or laptop or any way to do their work, they're falling behind," Conway says.Â
Brake also met up with Seaford School Board member Jeffrey Benson on Wednesday to give him computers for three families.
"It's a necessity now, where as before it may have been a luxury," Benson says. "This is something that is really needed to make sure that our kids are able to thrive and get their work that they need to get done, as well as families that may not have transportation, that need Telehealth."
"It's kind of like a big jigsaw puzzle," Brake says. "I was just starting to piece together somebody who can refurbish it. with somebody who can provide extra equipment, to somebody who gives me lists of students that need it.
To donate or request equipment, contact Dr. Palaszewski at sjpkj@gmail.com or 908-955-3721.Â
