MetLife Bridges the Digital Divide for Raleigh Area School Kids, Giving Away 80 Newly Refurbished Computers
NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Eighty Raleigh-area school children each took home a newly refurbished desktop computer over the weekend thanks to the handy work of MetLife technologists.
In a partnership with the Kramden Institute, and supported by a $25,000 grant from MetLife Foundation, over 250 MetLife employees took part in a “Geek-A-Thon” event, refurbishing a record-breaking 311 computers, and loading them with an Ubermix operating system and the latest in educational software. Eighty of the refurbished computers were donated to Raleigh-area school children. The rest will go to the Kramden Institute to be donated as needed.
Raleigh-area teachers nominated students they felt would benefit the most. Half of the students who received computers on Saturday are children of veterans and active service members in North Carolina.
“MetLife’s Global Technology and Operations organization is proud to help North Carolina students access computer technology in their homes. Through efforts like this, we hope to inspire the next generation of technology professionals in the Triangle.” said Jim O’Donnell, MetLife’s Chief Technology Officer, Global Technology and Operations.
The Geek-A-Thon was an employee-driven initiative, which grew from a volunteer effort that one of MetLife’s employees started with Kramden in 2013. “We’re excited to be able to come to work and give back to members of the local community, especially the families of veterans, who have already given so much for us,” said Don Rowe, Vendor Relationship Consultant and MetLife volunteer.
Families coming to MetLife’s Page Road office to collect their new computers were greeted by games in the parking lot, as well as a live deejay and Snoopy himself. They were also given hands-on training and a chance to try out a host of fun, new educational software.
Sixth grader, Janey Medina, from Cary, NC, has big plans for her new computer: “I can’t wait to start using it,” said the 11 year-old. “We had a laptop at home, but it was very old. With this new one, I’ll be able to start make my own animated videos.” Her equally creative, eight year-old brother, Eli, who also received one of the refurbished computers wants to start designing his own video games.
About MetLife
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the largest life insurance companies in the world. Founded in 1868, MetLife is a global provider of life insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management. Serving approximately 100 million customers, MetLife has operations in nearly 50 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
About MetLife Global Technology and Operations (GTO) in the Raleigh Area
In 2015, MetLife’s Global Technology and Operations organization will open a best-in-class global technology hub in Cary, N.C. Hundreds of technologists have already been hired in various functions including engineering, development, app maintenance, IT risk & security and tech support. MetLife is dedicated to recruiting world-class talent and is actively hiring a diverse, global and highly-skilled workforce. To learn more about GTO, visit http://www.metlifegto.com/.
About Kramden Institute
Located in the heart of the Triangle, Kramden was founded in 2003 with the mission to provide technology tools and training to bridge the digital divide. With the support of thousands of volunteers, Kramden has been able to refurbish and award over 17,500 computers to deserving North Carolina students without access to computer technology in their homes across more than 70 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. To learn more about Kramden, please visit http://www.kramden.org.
About Ubermix (Educational Software)
Ubermix is an all-free, specially built, Linux-based operating system designed from the ground up with the needs of education in mind. The OS was built by educators with an eye towards student empowerment and includes a 20 second quick recovery mechanism, and more than 60 free applications pre-installed. Many of these applications are educational and do not require an internet connection, making the PC a great tool for students who are not able to get internet access at home.
Contact:
John Calagna or Yvette Marmur, MetLife Communications
212.578.6252
jcalagna@metlife.com or ymarmur@metlife.com
