Monthly Update - November 2020

November has come and gone and now it’s time for our technicians to turn into workshop elves!  We spent a lot of the month preparing for the re-launch of Connecting Families in January including testing and cleaning 1400 monitors in addition to our regular work on Computers for Schools Plus program orders, and TELUS Internet for Good.
 
The results for the Burnaby Board of Trade BBEA Non Profit of the Year came in, and we were thrilled to be a finalist! It was tough competition with so many organizations doing some amazing work, especially in response to COVID. Once again, congratulations to Burnaby Hospital Foundation for winning Non Profit of the Year.

This year, we participated in Skills Canada’s Online National Skilled Trade & Technology Week! We submitted a video as part of the technology sector to give a little bit of insight on our work,  showcasing some tips on how to use Libre Office. We may deploy Libre as a free alternative to Microsoft Office. Not every request for computers is eligible for Microsoft Office, so it’s great that we can still preinstall something similar, and help new users through some of the initial learning curve. The Quebec branch of Computers for Schools Plus also shared a video explaining how our programs help school and  non-profit clients to promote inclusivity and sustainability. 
 
See our video: https://twitter.com/Skills_Canada/status/1325151367762161664
OPEQuebec’s video: https://twitter.com/Skills_Canada/status/1325166449657307138
 
A big holiday cheer to the individuals and organizations who have donated to us throughout the month. With these donations, we were able to refurbish and send out 379 computers and laptops to schools, non-profits, libraries, and Indigenous communities. Vancouver’s Settlement Workers in Schools Program, the Vancouver School District, Surrey’s Khalsa School,  and the Tansi and Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centres.
 
Looking ahead to December and January, we currently have 150 requests for 737 computers and laptops so it will be a very busy month for us as we work hard to get those out our door and into the hands of those who need them ahead of the winter break. Just like Santa, we’re in for a big push.
 
Be sure to let your friends and family know that if they bought new tech during Black Friday sales or get something techie under the tree, they can donate their old ones to us! Donations are needed, and much appreciated.
 
Donate to help families: https://www.reusetechbc.ca/donate.html 
 
Your Donations Matter
 
Stay safe and healthy.