"Gift of Opportunity: How One Contribution to Families Can Open Doors to the Future"

by Jason Russ, Pastor Church of the Open Door Lorain Campus

It was a warm and sunny day when cars lined up in the parking lot of the Lorain Campus of Church of the Open Door. The lot off of Tower and Oberlin was the location to pick up a free desktop computer for families of Lorain City Schools.

In a time when the unexpected caused many people to clear the shelves of necessities at stores, the people of Lorain rallied together to provide the precious commodity of technology - something that every student desperately needs in a time of stay-at-home orders and Google Classroom.

The impetus behind the effort was Bart Gonzalez, "just a kid from Lorain," and owner of Techne, LLC. His business focuses on helping others gain digital literacy through classes at local computer labs like Goodwill of Lorain County.

At the onset of students beginning to complete their classwork at home, Gonzalez noted,

Gonzalez first placed the need with the Lorain Proud group on Facebook, a community movement he had a hand in starting. They did not disappoint.

Gonzalez said.

With that spark of need, a fire began to blaze as the Boys and Girls Club of Lorain County joined in to sponsor $175 per family for up to ten families who attend their local club.

Then, leaders of Lorain City Schools got involved by raising awareness of the opportunity to Lorain families and donating toward the effort. Soon, there was community grant funding approval by Mayor Jack Bradley and Lorain City Council.

On the day of the distribution, Stephanie Carrell, Children's Ministry Director for Open Door's Lorain Campus, was there with her colleagues to help greet families, place computers in their cars, and provide gifts from the church family.

The opportunity for Carrell hits close to home as she is also a kid from Lorain. Growing up in a single-parent home, she is now able to give back to her community by providing for her Lorain neighbors' physical and spiritual needs. Carrell said,

Michelle Barnes, a mother of two children who attend Hawthorne Elementary School, came by to pick up a computer. She works full-time at a nearby retirement community and loves caring for the elderly. However, helping her children cope with schoolwork was complicated without having a home computer. She has a son with asthma and struggled to allow him to go out anywhere with the fear of him contracting COVID-19.

Having a personal computer at home gives Michelle's kids a chance to pursue their classwork and enjoy educational games. Her message to other single parents in the same position is to "have a positive mindset and to every day: wake up, pray, and get to it!"

Another car that came through had a very excited 12-year-old student looking forward to watching movies and getting to his homework on their new computer. His mother, Krystal Cortes, is a Behavioral Health Specialist who is thrilled for her son to connect with Zoom and Class Dojo online. These platforms are far more accessible on a computer than on the cell phone her son previously only had to use. Cortes grew up caring for her younger siblings and providing for them, which has become a calling in her profession.

To others like her who are in need, she says,

Gonzalez says there is still time to reach out if you are a family that needs a computer and would like to get on the list for one at a future distribution date. The next distribution should take place within the month and allow 57 computers to go to those in need.

Additionally, if you are an individual or family needing a computer, Techne has a variety of refurbished computers available for purchase.

For those who wish to contribute to the funds raised, please contact Techne at techne.bart@gmail.com or (440) 782-1159.

For Gonzalez and many involved, this ongoing computer distribution is an opportunity to help others see what is possible when we work together to do well.