U.S. General Services Administration
GSA’s Computers for Learning Program Benefits Local School
BOSTON – Computers are vital to a student’s education. Exposure to computers throughout school helps prepare them for future opportunities in an increasingly technological society. But for some school districts, it is difficult to afford computers for their students.
Recently, the Haverhill Cooperative Middle School in North Haverhill, New Hampshire received 98 computers and docking stations from the New England region of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) through the Computers for Learning (CFL) program.
The CFL program allows government agencies to donate surplus computers and equipment to schools and some educational nonprofit organizations. The program’s ambitious goal is to make modern computer technology an integral part of every classroom so that every child has the opportunity to be educated to his or her full potential. The equipment provided through the program is free; however, schools are responsible for packing and shipping costs.
“I was looking for a grant for some type of computers for sixth through eighth graders who desperately need them,” Jennifer Silverwood, eighth-grade teacher at Haverhill Cooperative Middle School, said. “We didn’t have the funding. But thanks to this extremely helpful program, our eighth-grade students will receive the laptops, and any excess will be handed down to the lower grades.”
“The Computers for Learning Program is an excellent way for GSA to help our local communities,” Glenn Rotondo, Region One Acting Regional Administrator, said. “GSA is pleased to have been able to donate computers that were no longer needed to Haverhill Cooperative Middle School. This beneficial use of government property helps students receive a quality education and at the same time saves the taxpayer money.”
In addition to the benefits to schools and students, the CFL program is good for the environment. The program reduces landfill disposal of electronic waste. Donating or recycling consumer electronics conserves natural resources and avoids air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing new materials.
The U.S. General Services Administration is proud to sponsor the CFL program. Interested schools and educational non-profits organizations are encouraged to find more information on this program at the Computers for Learning website.
GSA’s New England Region provides centralized procurement for the federal government by managing its real estate portfolio, products and services throughout Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. GSA’s mission is to deliver value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across government. For more information, visit: www.gsa.gov/r1 and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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About GSA:
GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a real estate portfolio of more than 370 million rentable square feet nationwide and overseeing $55 billion in acquisitions annually. GSA’s mission is to deliver value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across government. To learn more about GSA visit gsa.gov or join the conversation on social media at @USGSA and @GSAEmily.