Software Donations Let Nonprofit Expand to Support At-Risk Students
Children's Empowerment, Inc. (CEI), provides during and after-school academic enrichment programs to at-risk high school students in Daly City, California. The program started in 2000 by assisting a group of 12 high school students who, due to economic, cultural, and linguistic barriers, were not on track to graduate. Through a rigorous tutoring program complemented by mentoring and guidance, all 12 students went on to graduate, and a majority of them attended community college.
The decade that followed that first-year success led to much growth. CEI was able to modify and expand its services to also serve students of younger age groups. Its programs now touch over 800 students in high school and over 100 students in middle schools.
The TechSoup software donation program helped the organization meet the back-office demands brought about by its evolution. CEI started with one Windows PC and with TechSoup's support acquired several licenses of Microsoft Windows, Office, and Small Business Server in 2003. The software was used for important administrative tasks such as tracking the organization's budget and maintaining program schedules. The software licenses also benefited the five laptops used for CEI's after-school program.
When the organization needed to implement an in-house infrastructure software solution it again turned to TechSoup. The latest software donation fit perfectly with the infrastructure the organization had built with the first TechSoup software donation. With a more secure and stable technology infrastructure, the organization can focus on the funding it needs so its programs can continue to help students.
