McCloud Cares Foundation Raising Money To Buy Computers For Children

The McCloud Cares Foundation, a Jersey City-based non-profit organization, is currently raising money to purchase computer equipment for children whose families cannot afford to do so.  The organization strongly believes that enabling children to learn at home, through remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, is critical to their development.

According to Sophie Virgil, McCloud Cares Foundation’s Executive Assistant, “We have reached out to schools in NYC and NJ to ask how many children they currently have in need so that we can distribute equipment to as many schools as possible.”

The Foundation helps children in underserved and under-represented communities in the Tri-State area.  School districts still do not know what September will bring.  Will students return to their classrooms, or will at-home remote instruction continue?

In a letter sent to school districts  throughout the region, the Foundation stated, “Approximately 18% (245,213) of students in New Jersey and 21% (567,116) of students in New York do not have devices at home for distance learning.”

The letter goes on to say that the Foundation has spoken to and confirmed that “nearly 6,000 children attending New York Charter Schools and New Jersey Public Schools will be without a device in September when the new, school year begins.”

In Hudson County, the Foundation learned that 60 students attending Hoboken High School are without devices.

The goal McCloud Cares Foundation has set for themselves is ambitious.  They are trying to raise $500,000 to purchase 1,500 computers for children attending school in New York and New Jersey “who are at risk of falling behind due to the lack of vital technology that is required for them to access online learning.”

If you would like to support the “COVID-19 Computer Drive,” you can learn more by visiting the McCloud Cares Foundation’s website.  Just log onto www.mccloudcares.org.