The Outlook Foundation

This sounds like a worth while effort to us. Please check it out and do what you can to help.

Computer Outlook Talk Show  announced today the launch of the Outlook Foundation, a non-profit organization created to refurbish and repurpose computers; providing them to children whose economic background prevents them from having equal educational opportunities, as well as to deployed US service personnel and their stateside families in an effort to help maintain communication with loved ones. Beyond helping children and our service families, Outlook Foundation will also use its resources to reduce the amount of hazardous technology waste in landfills by recycling remaining technology through certified organizations. 

As many as 9.7 million children in the United States do not have access to a computer, leaving them unable to compete academically with their peers who have ready access to the vast information and resources available on the internet.  This ultimately contributes to the ever-growing gap between economically stable families and those families who are considered working poor.  Among the population of deployed service personnel and their stateside families, communication is a priceless commodity.  However, with the high cost of International phone service, many military families cannot communicate with loved ones deployed overseas unless they have access to a computer.

“Every year corporations update and upgrade their computers,” explained John Iasiuolo, Host of Computer Outlook Talk Show and co-founder of Outlook Foundation. “When a computer is replaced, the perfectly good computer is generally thrown away or recycled.  The Outlook Foundation will repurpose these computers to ensure a cast away resource gets into the hands of those who need them most.  This is our active and passionate pursuit, and we already have a corporate commitment for 4,000 laptop computers and 7,200 desktop computers.”

Outdated computers pose a hazardous threat to the environment:  monitors contain lead, central processing units contain mercury and chromium, and the systems themselves contain arsenic and halogenated organic substances.  By collecting obsolete computers, refurbishing and repurposing them to needy children and deployed service personnel and their stateside families Outlook Foundation will reduce technology’s negative impact on the environment.  In the event a computer cannot be refurbished, the foundation is prepared to recycle the technology through certified organizations so they will be kept out of landfills.

Outlook Foundation aspires to further assist these families by providing education vouchers which will allow computer recipients to pursue technology education at no cost to the family.  By walking that extra mile alongside adopted families, the foundation and its partners are providing the chance for better, more financially secure futures.

“Whether a child in an economically struggling family trying to compete academically, or a service family divided by contents trying desperately to stay connected, motivated and encouraged, the Outlook Foundation wants to be a part of the catalyst for change so that both groups recognize their potential and their value,” said Iasiuolo speaking of his dream.