OAAC
Since 1994

Computers for Philadelphia Program

In the beginning of the redistribution programs (throughout the USA) of surplus computers into poor urban areas, were focused on getting PCs to schools.  The Detwiler Foundation (our original model)  spearheaded that movement in California and was a great success up to a point.  Kids need to be exposed to computers everyday not just once a week in school.  It took us two years to convince the General Services Administration that this was the best solution for their surplus PCs.  Also there were mounds of donated PCs in poor schools building up throughout the city because there wasn't anyone to work on them.  Macintosh was the computer platform of choice for the school district.   The CPKP  was the first program that got PCs directly into the homes of needy families.    4000 kids have received PCs and Windows training from our program. Because of our success we have become a model for many copycat programs throughout the USA. 

Read about what the news media says about the program:

• Computerworld Article about us

• Inquirer article about Prince Hall

• Inquirer article about Sheppard School

The CPKP is a cooperative effort between the OAAC and many, many organizations

The Philadelphia Public School District - 

• Our most important collaborator.  

• contributed over $58,000 in financial support of the operating budget.

• provided substantial warehouse space (in the Roberto Clemente Building) to store up to 10,000 computer systems.

•   made available rooms for workshops for refurbishing and preparing PCs for use in the classes and distribution to the graduates

• provided recurring transportation services to move PCs from storage and maintenance sites to the classrooms and labs.  

•   made available six rooms for OAAC Computer Instructional Labs and Computer Graphics Labs

• Provided the Clarence Pickett Middle School that houses our Fine Arts and Computer Graphics Center

• Allowed us to paint seven large kids murals in the school).

• assigned fifteen elementary and middle schools to participate formally in OAAC programs.

• authorized the development of the OAAC Fine Arts and Graphic Arts Program at the Roberto Clemente Building

•   the key Philadelphia Public School District sponsors were:   David Hornbeck (Superintendent of Schools); Nilsa Gonzalez (Assistant Superintendent of Schools); and Pedro Ramos (President of the School Board).

 

The First Union Bank (Philadelphia, PA) 

•   provided funding for 1,500 Personal Computer systems that were distributed to graduates of the  CPKP at the Kensington Cluster of the Philadelphia Public School system.  

•   This funding helped defray the cost of acquiring obsolescent computers from the Pennsylvania GSA, which amounted to approximately $7.00 per PC system.

The Pennsylvania General Services Administration - (Contact person Scott Pepperman,  Managing Director) 

• contributed   4,000 surplus PCs to our    CPKP

•  These computer systems cost was $7.00 per unit .

• We were accepted as the Pennsylvania GSA model program when distributing excess PCs to needy families.  More than twenty "copy cat " programs now exist because of the accomplishments of the OAAC program.     

• We have gotten over 4,000 families PCs in the city of Philadelphia, Pa. 

Check out our SUPPORTERS!!!!

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Kids Murals

Last updated January 01, 2002

Ogontz Avenue Art Company / Pete Doyle,
oaac@mindspring.com

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