Organization continues to raise funds to provide computer and internet access for low-income youth in the New Orleans area.
New Orleans – The nonprofit No Days Offline delivered 10 laptops to local organizations as part of their ongoing mission to increase computer and internet access among low-income students in the New Orleans area.
The group provided 7 laptops to partner organization Son Of A Saint, with another 3 laptops going to students affiliated with Daughters Beyond Incarceration.
No Days Offline is now redoubling its efforts to acquire additional laptops in light of coronavirus-related school shutdowns, which have reduced access to essential technologies for many young students.
The organization is currently engaged in a fundraising drive that aims to deliver as many laptops as possible to students and partner organizations during the COVID-19 shutdown. Those who wish to donate can do so via the group’s website.
“We started No Days Offline two years ago as a way to give back to New Orleans in a meaningful way,” says Co-Founder and President Josh D’Arcangelo. “Unfortunately, our mission has taken on even greater importance and urgency in the wake of COVID-19. By providing as many laptops as possible to local students, we hope we can help bridge technological gaps that have been exacerbated by this crisis.”
“Technology has created pathways for many of the successful innovators we see in the world
today,” adds Director of Outreach and former New Orleans mayoral candidate Hashim Walters.
“It’s our duty to make sure the youth of New Orleans have access to technology so they can be
even more prepared for the amazing leadership roles they will have in the future. This kind of
assistance is now more critical than ever in light of the hardships caused by COVID-19.”
No Days Offline was founded in 2018 and aims to increase computer and internet access among local New Orleans Students, the group envisions a world in which every child has the ability to further their education and increase their opportunities through the use of technology.
No Days Offline believes its mission has become particularly urgent now that schools across the New Orleans area have moved online for the remainder of the current school year.
While many New Orleanians take internet access for granted, children throughout the city face a variety of barriers to accessing technology. As the New Orleans Advocate recently reported, more than 1 in 4 area students do not have access to computers to assist them with distance learning.
No Days Offline hopes to help bridge that gap by donating computers directly to students and partner organizations.
As Director of Technology Michael Rodriguez explains, “The earlier you learn a skill, the better
you will be at it. It’s easy to think of tech savvy as something today’s youth are born with, but
that savvy only comes from experience and access. We want to invest in the future of New
Orleans, and that future starts with bringing technology to the young students who need it most.
That’s what No Days Offline hopes to do.”
If you would like to learn more about No Days Offline’s efforts, please email Josh D’Arcangelo at
nodaysoffline504@gmail.com.
