JCOC Computer lab

Organization Information:

Organization Name:
Judeo-Christian Outreach Center
City & State:
Virginia Beach , 
Virginia
Organization Website:
jcoc.org new site under construction
Organization's Mission Statement

To empower homeless families and individuals to recover from crisis situations and return to being self-supporting, productive and independent members of our community.

Submission Information

Impact Essay

Our Microsoft Technology Solutions have helped optimize our mission in a very direct way. Our mission: To empower homeless families and individuals to recover from crisis situations and return to being self-supporting, productive, and independent members of our community. Our technology solution is not about a client or donor database, but rather the direct impact from our donated computers that our homeless residents and at-risk neighbors use at our Emergency Shelter on a daily basis to improve their opportunities.

One of our most valuable free services at the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center is an on-site computer lab available to our 50 homeless residents as well as those families and individuals in our neighborhood who are at-risk of becoming homeless. The computer lab, which is supervised by volunteers and computer-savvy residents, houses 10 donated computers and printers.

Our computer lab visitors utilize the free technology to work on their resumes, research employment opportunities, search for affordable housing, read the newspaper, fill out countless applications for their medical, veteran, and/or social security benefits, reunite with family and keep up with friends. We compliment our computer lab with an ongoing education program that provides mentoring, GED preparation and computer classes.

During the three-weeks time frame of April 2nd 09 to April 25th 09 our computer lab had 117 visits. Some people came and went several times, others came only often enough to get specific information and never returned. Regardless, all benefited from access to free mentoring and communication technology.

Our computer lab increases the effectiveness of our organization by enhancing our client’s chances of making it into independent living. The lab also signifies us a good community partner, and frankly, that helps with fundraising. Computer lab users can do their business without feeling the public humiliation of being labeled homelessness. Once they have e-mail addresses, they can send resumes and correspondence to perspective employers without revealing their living situation. And they can eliminate the cost of copying and mailing mountains of paperwork.

Submission Category
Optimize Mission Delivery
Project Image
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