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Hospital for Sick Children Foundation

The Challenge

The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation (HSC) provides innovative services and programs for children with special needs in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.  One of their programs, Dose of Kindness, provides home computers to some of these children to help improve the quality of their lives.  The children are from low-income families and without the donations they would otherwise not be able to afford computers.  No one on HSC's staff was equipped to install them or train the families on their use once they arrived.  HSC needed a skilled, trusted, and affordable technology partner to make the promise of the Dose of Kindness program a reality.   

 

The Solution

HSC contacted NPower Greater DC Region to oversee the in-home installation.  The NPower tech team visited each family, making note of any special requirement given the children's disabilities.  After the computers arrived at NPower offices, our tech team loaded the appropriate software and customized the system for each child.  Based on our earlier visits, we also ordered special adaptive hardware, such as a touch screen monitor or a keyboard with large buttons to make the computers more user friendly for the children.

We tested every computer in our office and then set them up at each home.  Thanks to the generosity of the AOL Foundation, each child was given a free AOL account and high speed internet access.  Our team provided each family with basic instructions on computer use, like how to access the internet along with free phone support for the next 30 days.

 

The Impact

In a matter of a few weeks NPower placed computers in the homes of special needs children where none had been before or where there had only been outdated equipment.  Families were very excited about having their own computer and full internet access.  Thanks to the combined efforts of HSC and NPower, children with disabilities have a computer at home to help them prepare their homework and explore online learning. 

 

"Now that my son has a computer it has been a tremendous stepping stone to what he's capable of doing.  Everything is more accessible to him and having the computer has really helped his self-esteem, he now has a "can do" attitude when before he was limited.  He shows me all of the new things he's learned online and I can tell he feels so useful."

-Pamela Dargen, mother

 

 

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