By Mary Helen Montgomery
La Paz has big plans for its new mobile computer lab that our digital inclusion program, Tech Goes Home, was delighted to deliver this week. La Paz will use the 20 Chromebooks at various locations around the region — schools, churches, stores, community centers — to teach classes and conduct outreach. La Paz was able to pay the $50 co-pay for each computer, thanks to a grand from the UNFoundation.
“We realized how difficult it was to get a hold of computers,” said Vivian Lozano-Sterchi, the director of social impact at La Paz. “A computer lab makes sense, to have something mobile.”
With the new lab, La Paz will be able to set up at different locations to help register people to vote or to learn about the census. They have immediate plans to use the computers for a citizenship class, which will help clients study for the US naturalization test. La Paz also has other plans in the works that will help reach Hamilton County Schools students.
“This lab will really connect the community to new opportunities,” Vivian said.
Sammy Lowdermilk, the director of The Enterprise Center’s program Tech Goes Home, said that La Paz has been a strong partner in the community for several years.
“We have loved working with La Paz to bring clients classes that suit their needs, such as Spanish-only classes in digital literacy and a class tailored to Spanish-speaking business owners,” Sammy said.
Deb Socia, the President & CEO of The Enterprise Center, was pleased to help deliver the computers this week.
“This is the fun part, being able to share this kind of resource with a partner like La Paz,” Deb said. “We’re glad to help empower La Paz to bring people much-needed services.”
As The Enterprise Center staff was leaving the building after dropping off the computers, Irma Velazquez, a La Paz staff member, saw the computers and said that she was already planning on using several for an event that evening.
