Cape & Islands News

MAF gifts 5 laptops to Brewster after hours program

Third in an exclusive Cape Cod Today series that follows each of the “TD Bank Dozen” laptops

The remarkable local charity continues helping kids
Laptops for KidZ Places five of the “TD Bank Dozen” at Brewster After School Program

Christine Sieger (executive director) and Susan O'Neill (bookkeeper) of Nauset Youth Alliance/Brewster After School Child Care admire two of the IBM Thinkpad computers donated to Laptops for KidZ by TD Bank.  Five of the "TD Bank Dozen" went to children served by NYA.

The Laptops for KidZ project of the Masonic Angel Foundation has presented its third group of laptops of the dozen IBM ThinkPad’s donated by TD Bank. 

Christine Sieger at the Nauset Youth Alliance/Brewster After School Child Care (BACC) program is a very active partner of the Masonic Angel Fund.  MAF has served the children of BACC for twelve years. 

What MAF does

From a bit of tuition assistance to coats, eyeglasses, food cards and holiday gifts, these benevolences built a very strong bond between the MAF community and the programs Ms. Sieger directs. 

When TD Bank donated twelve computers to the MAF’s new Laptops for KidZ program, Christine Sieger was one of the first people the Masons called. 

On Tuesday, June 8th the LFK program delivered a total of five IBM ThinkPads to the Brewster After School Child Care office at the Stony Brook School.  This and future articles will track the deployment of those machines.

TD Bank Laptop #3 was provided for an eight year old girl described by Ms. Sieger as “bright, curious and artistic.  She really takes to computers and wants to learn more.”  This girl is the eldest of four siblings.  Ms. Sieger remarked that the girl loves to teach other kids how to do things, so they expect she will have a lot of fun teaching her younger siblings how to use the computer.

The Brewster program will install drawing and other creative expression software on the computer.  They will also instruct the child and parent on the use of the installed software prior to sending it home with her.  According to LFK volunteer project director Mario Meré, “This is a wonderful opportunity to reach four children with a single laptop placement.  The primary recipient will receive the educational benefit she needs while her siblings will have a chance to develop their own computer literacy, as well.”

This laptop was placed in Brewster by the LFK volunteer staff on behalf of Universal Masonic Angel Fund chapter that serves children in Orleans, Brewster and Eastham.  MAF co-founder Fellows, LFK project director Mario Meré, and Universal MAF volunteer Michael Leighton delivered the computers to NYA/BACC Executive Director Christine Sieger and bookkeeper Susan O’Neill. 

Universal Masonic Angel Fund has served Brewster’s children since 1998.  Universal Lodge of Orleans established the very first Masonic Angel Fund back in 1998.  Appropriately, the very first MAF benevolence was done at the Stony Brook School in 1998 to provide emergency assistance to a family that lost everything in a fire.  Today there are 142 Masonic Angel Fund chapters in twelve states.

About Laptops For Kidz

Established in March, Laptops for KidZ (LFK) places laptop computers with local schools to be sent home with children who would not otherwise have computer access outside school hours.  LFK tries to focus on situations where there is a demonstrated educational need for which the school has a plan that involves use of a computer to address that need.

When LFK was first established the founders had intended to work primarily with middle schools.  After the first middle school they contacted did not get back to them, the group decided to look elsewhere.  As MAF Board President Robert Fellows recalls, “The middle school that failed to respond really did us a favor.  We started to talk with elementary schools in the area and quickly realized that the need is more acute at the elementary level.  In many cases, middle school is really too late to make much of a difference.”  “Even first graders in some schools receive on-line typing tutor assignments and are encouraged to do those lessons as homework.” Fellows said.  LFK reports that 94% of the computers deployed thus far have gone to children in elementary school. 

TD Bank’s Larry Squire, who arranged the bank’s donation, was introduced to the Laptops for KidZ program by Cape and Islands United Way president Richard Brothers.

As with all activities of the Masonic Angel Foundation, the program's volunteers never know the identity of a recipient child. All transactions are conducted at arm's length with the school professionals working as a go-between to preserve privacy. LFK does not accept direct requests from potential recipients. All requests must come through a school or other partner agency.  LFK computers are configured in English and are only available to legal residents of the United States.  The TD Bank laptops are eligible to be placed between Plymouth and Provincetown through local Masonic Angel Fund chapters.

LFK accepts functional notebook computers. "Functional" means that the laptop will power up and is accompanied by its proper AC adapter. LFK does not accept donations of desktops, monitors or any Apple product.  Donations to the 501(c)(3) Masonic Angel Foundation, Inc. are tax deductible.

For more information about the Laptops for KidZ program visit www.laptopsforkidZ.org

See the rest of the series below:

• Laptops for KidZ places second of the “TD Bank Dozen” at Wellfleet Elementary School
  Posted in Cape & Islands News on June 8, 2010
• Masonic Angels gifts a Laptop for Kidz to Truro School
  Posted in Cape & Islands News on June 3, 2010
• TD Bank donates a dozen computers to Laptops for KidZ
  Posted in Cape & Islands News on May 26, 2010
• Masonic Angels gifting laptops to our schools
  Posted in Cape & Islands News on May 12, 2010