Help a Parent Get “Connected” for Their Kids!

Technology training to access information, resources, and  provide educational support for families

Could you imagine not having the knowledge or resources necessary to access digital information or assist your child with remote learning? 

No parent should feel helpless when it comes to his or her child’s education and wellbeing.  Lack of access to the internet, devices such as computers, and knowledge necessary to utilize technology is more common than we think.  

At the CSUF Center for Healthy Neighborhoods, we believe that communities thrive when children and their families have access to quality education and healthcare. Health disparities and inequities that exist for low-income and marginalized families are pervasive and prevent them from improving their circumstances.

By providing access to technology and training, we can create a real “connection” between parents and the social, education, and health resources they need to help improve their overall wellbeing.  

Please join us in helping 80 Latinx parents in the Fullerton community attend a 10-week bi-lingual workshop series focused on introductory technological skills this fall, 2021.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, we all faced uncharted territory and many challenges including illness, job loss, reduced wages, and adapting to remote work or school.  For many already marginalized families, however, the impact was even greater.  We saw this firsthand at the Center, as clients battled to meet their family’s most basic needs of food, shelter, and safety from the pandemic.  For many, what may continue to be one of the biggest challenges is the difficulty accessing and utilizing technology - especially when seeking resources or assisting their children with remote learning and education.  

In most cases, COVID-related information and services including unemployment benefits, rent relief, and food vouchers can only be accessed online, but many of our clients did not have the technology, nor the skills to obtain help on their own.  Many public resources that normally assist in-person, were closed due to the pandemic, and families who did not have a computer or device to access information were helpless.  Some clients were able to utilize the school district-provided tablet of their son or daughter, but many contacted the Center in crisis needing guidance and technological support.

Although staff assisted many families in applying for resources and gaining basic access to internet applications such as Zoom, we realized the devastating impact of the technological divide first hand. This highlighted the need and urgency for technology training for our clients.

We immediately reached out to our partners at Parent Engagement Institute (PEI), Fullerton School District (FSD), and Fullerton Library to develop a bi-lingual, bi-cultural workshop series, which includes approximately 20 hours of training on topics like introduction to computers and the Internet, how to send and receive an email, and how to use Google documents. When enrolled in the program, we will work together with participants to identify available Internet connectivity options, recommend solutions, provide instruction and guidance on how to connect and install necessary applications, and text/email trainees with reminders and links. And, the FSD has generously offered to continue to provide technology and internet access (via hotspots) to participants who need it. The workshops will be held in person at facilities conveniently located in the community and childcare will be provided.

A gift of $250 will provide a 10-week technology training workshop series for a parent or legal guardian of a student in our Academic Success Series.  However, donations of any size will make a difference!

P.S. Your contribution will allow parents in the Fullerton community to access the critical tools, information, and services they need to improve their family’s health and wellbeing. The skills they learn will also empower them to provide educational support to their children. Please join us in providing a “hand-up” to our Fullerton neighbors!