Written By: Brian Walmark
In many northern communities in Ontario, the digital divide is more than an inconvenience—it is a barrier to education, health, and opportunity. Renewed Computer Technology of Ontario (RCTO), a dedicated not-for-profit is working to change this by refurbishing laptops and computer equipment donated by leaders in Canadian business and the public sector. These devices are then placed directly into the hands of First Nations youth and families in remote communities, New Canadians, women, and urban Indigenous youth who need them most.
In recent shipments of laptops, the following not-for-profit organizations received much needed laptops include: Sisters for Canadian Black Community, Tapestry International Women’s Network, Thunder Bay Multicultural Association, Roots Community Food Centre, and the following First Nations, Wunnimun Lake, Slate Falls, Mishkeegogamang and Fort Severn.
The difference a single laptop can make is profound. “Before I received my laptop, I couldn’t keep up with schoolwork. Now I can finish my assignments on time and look ahead to university,” shared a high school student from Fort Severn, a remote First Nation. A New Canadian, a single mother, told us, “This laptop gives me the tools to apply for work and support my children’s learning. It brings hope back into our home.”
Every refurbished laptop means a doorway opened: a young person gaining confidence, a parent finding employment, a community connecting with health services and training. Yet the need continues to grow. More laptops and computer equipment are urgently required to meet requests from the North.
Port Arthur Rotary in Thunder Bay, Ontario recently provided funds to cover shipping so some of these devices can reach families quickly. But we cannot do it alone. Your donations of equipment—or financial support to help us move it north—will change lives. To support this work, please contact Marie DeLuca, Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing with RCTO at [email protected] to donate or for additional information.
Together, we can give people the tools they need to learn, to work, and to thrive.