News Release
August 22, 2006
Victor and Susan Schaff contribute $36,000 to Computers for Families
Long-time Carpinteria community members Victor and Susan Schaff recently made a $36,000 contribution to the Computers for Families Sustainability Fund.
Computers for Families (CFF) has for nine years provided students from low-income families with computers, Internet access, and training, in an effort to eliminate the digital divide between families that can afford computers for their children and those who cannot. The goal of the sustainability fund is to make CFF self-sufficient by establishing a $4 million endowment to fund the program’s annual budget of $200,000.
“One of the great things about Computers for Families is its positive impact on so many local students and families. We are pleased to support their goal for a self sustainable fund,” said Victor and Susan Schaff.
A group of Carpinteria community leaders has stepped forward to lead the effort to raise the amount needed to fund Computers for Families in perpetuity in Carpinteria’s schools. The donation will be credited to that effort.
“The generous support for Computers for Families from Victor and Susan Schaff is a clear indication that Carpinteria residents care about their schools,” said Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone. “The great work of so many Carpinteria residents, and the generous support from people like Victor and Susan Schaff for Computers for Families, will go a long way in ensuring that this important program continues in perpetuity.”
Computers for Families, a joint project of Santa Barbara Partners in Education and the Santa Barbara County Education Office, seeks to eliminate the negative consequences of the digital divide by providing students from low-income families with refurbished computers, Internet access, and training. Related program goals include improving the computer literacy of students and families, helping teachers develop computer and Internet-based programs, and helping juvenile offenders obtain computer repair skills and ultimately good jobs by training them to refurbish and repair the donated computers. Since its beginning in 1997, Computers for Families has placed more than 5,000 computers in the homes of local students.