MAKING A DIFFERENCE : Detwiler Foundation : Double-Duty Donations : Troubled Youths Refurbish Used Computers for Classrooms

There is only an average of one computer available for every 20 students in California schools. Nationwide, only Louisiana, Vermont and New Hampshire students fare worse. Yet businesses regularly find themselves with surplus computers as technology changes. In 1991, after noticing extra computers at their workplaces, Diana Detwiler and her parents, John and Carolyn, created a foundation along with her parents to funnel equipment to California classrooms. The La Jolla- based Detwiler Foundation spends no money on repairs- the computers are refurbished by adults and youths at one of 30 vocational training programs at community colleges, regional occupational programs, prisons and the California Youth Authority.

So far, 6,000 donated computers have been placed in classrooms. Each semester, more than 1000 adults and youths use the donations to learn computer repair, one of the state’s fastest growing job categories.

Bottom Line

Estimated annual cost to maintain current school level of one computer for each 19 students without donations: $120 million

Estimated cost to equip each California classroom with wiring, hardware, and network software without donations: $2.1 billion

Foundation’s administrative cost to solicit, process, transport and place each computer: $20. Source: Detwiler Foundation

HOW IT WORKS

DONATION: Most computers are dropped off at one of 40 collection sites statewide. Large donations may be picked up.

REPAIR: The foundation arranges to transport computers to vocational training sites statewide for repair. More than 5,000 computers are currently being refurbished.

DISTRIBUTION: At least 80% of the repaired computer equipment is distributed to some of the 1200 California schools registered with the foundation. The rest may be kept by the repair centers for instructional use or later distribution. Schools that register to receive computers are asked to solicit individuals and businesses in their area to match the number of computers they obtain.

TO GET INVOLVED

Call (619) 456-9045.