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University of Hartford Donates Computers to the North Hartford Community

May 21, 2008

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. The University of Hartford’s Office of University Relations and the Information Technology Services Department teamed up to donate six refurbished computers to the Blue Hills Merchant Association and the Upper Albany Neighborhood Collaborative.

University of Hartford President Walter Harrison presented the computers on Wednesday, May 14, in the Community Room at the University of Hartford’s new Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center. The Handel Center is currently under construction at the site of theformer Thomas Cadillac distributorship at the corner of Albany Avenue and Westbourne Parkway.

It is scheduled to open in the fall.

John Allen, President of the Blue Hills Merchant Association, thanked the University for the computers on behalf of his organization, saying “we are very happy and proud to receive them.”

Accepting computers for the Upper Albany Neighborhood Collaborative, André Wade said “we can’t thank you enough for the generosity you have given us.” President Harrison called the donations a “gesture of partnership” with the neighborhood.

The Office of University Relations and the Information Technology Services (ITS) Department began working together in 2000 to collect and refurbish University computers for donation to the community. In the past six years, more than 30 refurbished computers have been donated to various non-profit organizations such as the Urban League of Greater Hartford Community Tech Center, Upper Albany NRZ, Horace Bushnell Congregate Home, and residents throughout the city.

Christine Grant, Manager of Corporate and Community Relations, says the refurbished computers are great tools for helping members of the community take advantage of technology that had been unavailable to them.

The computers were collected from various departments around campus. The computers are upgraded and formatted by ITS and equipped with software such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.