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by Sharron Hudson, Major –
The Beaumont Foundation of America provides an opportunity for educational sites and community groups to apply for grants to receive state-of-the-art Toshiba-branded technology in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The Salvation Army was chosen in all four U.S. territories as partners with Beaumont to enhance our ministry to the communities that we serve.
Eleven states in the Western Territory participated in this first of four rounds of the granting process. Seventy-three grant applications have now been completed and submitted to the Beaumont Foundation.
The technology equipment for use in educational computer labs includes: laptop computers, printers, projectors, and digital cameras.
Officially, The Salvation Army project name is eQuip for Success, under the guidance of Major William Hurula, national finance secretary, and a national technology panel with representatives from each territory and the Beaumont Foundation.
The representative and project manager for the West is Richard Freeman. Freeman has worked in IT at several levels of the Army, and has been responsible over the past few years for implementation of program-related software. With this additional responsibility as eQuip for Success project manager, he will serve as liaison between the territory, the Beaumont Foundation and national headquarters to provide support to and coordination of eQuip for Success throughout the territory.
eQuip for Success will enable corps, ARC, Harbor Lights, day care centers and many more Salvation Army ministries to set-up computer labs for educational purposes. Many grant applications indicated that there are already existing computer classes, but computers are old, pieced together or run-down. This equipment will benefit men, women and children who are already attending Salvation Army sponsored after-school programs, ESL classes, GED preparation, basic computer skills and other life skills classes. New activities are also able to begin because of this generous donation.
Over the next three years, opportunity will be given to make further grant applications through the various divisional headquarters working with Richard Freeman and territorial headquarters.
POINT 1
Make the field a priority.