United Way to Assist with Amazon Fire Tablet Distribution to More than 700 Middle and High School Students Thursday and Friday
Thursday, August 13th, 2020
Thanks to a longstanding relationship between United Way Boaof Trustees member, Jeff Battcher, and leadership at Amazon, Amazon has so generously made one of their single largest donations ever to a community. The company donated 706 Amazon Fire Tablets to the Crawford County School District. The children within the district have been plagued with a lack of access to technology and internet during the pandemic. This donation will greatly improve access for students as Crawford County continues to recover and respond from the crisis with education plans.
“During the COVID shut down at the end of the 2020 school year, a major obstacle in Crawford County was the lack of sufficient devices in the hands of our students,” said Brent Lowe, Crawford County Schools Superintendent. “The Amazon Fire Tablets, paired with the Kajeets Mobile hotspots throughout the county, will allow our students to not only continue with distance learning if another shutdown is necessary, but also allow out students to be assigned virtual lessons throughout the year for remediation and enrichment.”
“I am so proud to be a part of something that gives our youth a better chance for success,” said Jeff Battcher, United Way of Central Georgia Board of Trustees. “This crisis has put a strain on our community, but as we come together in efforts like this, we are able to ensure the impact felt by children and students does not affect their opportunity and access to education.”
The Fire Tablets are valued at $69.99 each and will be distributed Thursday, August 13th and Friday, August 14th at scheduled times at the middle and high schools. All students in 7th-11th grade have been contacted to come pick up their tablet at the times listed below. The students will also be signing posters at the school to say thank you to Amazon. The media is invited to attend and asked to RSVP if planning to attend.
Schedule for distribution:
Crawford County Middle School
401 Lowe Rd
Roberta
August 13
7th - 12:30-2:30
8th - 3:30-5:30
Crawford County High School
400 E Agency
Roberta
August 13
9th - 3:30-5:30
10th - 12:30-3:30
August 14
11th - 9:00-11:00
United Way of Central Georgia is a leading funder of health and human service organizations that have a measurable impact in fourteen Central Georgia counties and impact the lives of one in four local people annually. The annual campaign supports 43 programs along with 29 program partners. United Way initiatives include READ UNITED, MISSION UNITED, PINK PROMISE UNITED, RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities), Familywize, FIRST STEPS, myfreetaxes.com, Volunteer UNITED, The Merrie Christmas Project and Parents as Teachers. United Way of Central Georgia also funds a free, confidential seven-days a week, 24-hours a day information and referral line serving all of Central Georgia. Dial 2-1-1 to find or give help. For more information about what United Way of Central Georgia is doing in the community, visit www.unitedwaycg.org.