Siemens today announced it will launch a laptop donation program, the latest company initiative to address equity in underserved communities. Siemens chose the Dallas Independent School District’s Young Men’s Leadership Academy (YMLA) at Fred F. Florence Middle School as the inaugural recipient. The donation will help ensure students can continue their education in virtual learning environments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is critical that all Dallas students have the tools they need to succeed in a fast-changing world,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said. “I am grateful that Siemens has stepped up to help close the digital divide by donating these laptops. Our underserved communities have been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and support like this from our partners can help ensure that all of our children are able to thrive in the years ahead.”
“We’re thankful to be selected as the first school to receive this much needed donation as part of the program,” said Carrie Esch, library media specialist at the Dallas Independent School District’s Young Men’s Leadership Academy. “The donation allows us to accommodate all students, ensuring no student misses instructional time. The Chromebooks also empower our students to take responsibility for both their device, and their education.”
In response to the pandemic, YMLA first issued Chromebooks to students in March 2020 as they began transitioning to virtual learning. With the infrastructure to support the devices in place, the school quickly exhausted its supply, making it difficult to replace or provide laptops to new students in its highly transient community. Siemens’ additional supply of devices will ensure students who do not have a computer or have a laptop that needs repair are able to participate virtually or on-campus.
“We’re excited that this program will give those students most in-need the opportunity to continue to learn with their classmates and teachers in what is an incredibly difficult time,” said Deborah Forssman, head of Siemens IT Americas. “It is wonderful to see the impact of this donation to YMLA students, parents and teachers, and we’re looking forward to making this an annual effort. We’re thankful that Discovery Education was able to connect us with their partners in Dallas ISD.”
This donation aligns with Siemens’ ongoing commitment to drive meaningful, measurable impact towards closing the opportunity gap in underserved communities. Most recently, Siemens announced plans to provide a total of $140,000 in grants to Black-owned businesses to support diversity and inclusion in entrepreneurship and business development.
This mission is also advanced through the work of the Siemens Foundation, the non-profit organization established by Siemens USA, and its recent $2 million pledge to Community Development Financial Institutions Funds (CDFIs) to support social and economic equity in racially diverse communities. Additional donations are supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in their plans to safely reopen campuses and efforts by the National Governors Association to reskill workers in the new economy.
