Insight Donates Computers to Help K-12 Students Across Alberta

The contribution to Alberta Computers for Schools provides low-income families with a connection to online learning during pandemic uncertainty

TEMPE, Ariz., June 26, 2020 – Insight Enterprises (NASDAQ: NSIT), the global integrator of Insight Intelligent Technology Solutions™ for organizations of all sizes, donated 72 computer workstations in May in response to Alberta students who needed access to online learning after schools abruptly closed due to COVID-19 concerns.  

Insight teammates in Edmonton volunteered to refurbish the equipment and provided it to Alberta Computers for Schools, a not-for-profit computer recycling program assisting eligible K-12 schools, libraries and nonprofits across the province. Insight’s donation assisted low-income families in need of computers to allow their children to attend school remotely. Each computer included modern communication and collaboration applications like Microsoft Teams as well as essential peripherals.

“Online learning has presented a significant challenge to some students and their families during the pandemic, and we saw a way to help that was in line with Insight’s sustainability principles and our purpose of doing good through technology,” said Bill Werkman, service delivery program director, Connected Workforce solutions, Insight. “While we hope the new school year brings our children back to the classroom, the chance to help some of them connect to further learning opportunities potentially makes a big difference in their lives.”

Through its asset disposition program, Insight typically helps companies to responsibly and securely dispose or repurpose outdated equipment. Insight’s services include a rigorous review of all IT assets to determine if equipment can be resold on behalf of a client, redeployed for new uses, or recycled in an EPA-compliant manner.

But in this case, Werkman and a group of Insight teammates identified surplus equipment for donation. They assisted with wiping, rebuilding, testing and cleaning up the workstations to make them user-ready for students. Werkman said the team volunteered personal time by using company “Heart” days, equivalent to two days of paid time off each year specifically dedicated to giving back.

“Our teammates embody Insight’s values of hunger, heart and harmony everyday, and this illustrates the initiative they take to recognize a need and apply our collective expertise to come up with a solution,” said John Dathan, senior vice president and general manager, Insight Canada. “Connection is so critical right now as the need for social distancing has affected our daily routines. That’s especially true for education, and while we’ve worked directly with school districts during the pandemic to enable remote learning, the opportunity to do something more for individual students makes these efforts even more worthwhile.”

Alberta Computers for Schools has distributed more than 200,000 computers primarily to K-12 schools across Alberta since its establishment in 1994. The organization is part of Computers for Schools, a national program that refurbishes computers donated from government, private business and individuals.

Insight teammates also contributing to sourcing and preparing the workstations, monitors and peripherals for donation included Richard Taylor, Dan Watts, Hossein Davoudi, Jonathan Sonmor, Elizabeth Currie, Daren Vishnu and Shahana Nasmin, as well as independent contractor Ron Orlowski, who helped package and deliver the equipment.

For more information on Insight, visit insight.com or call 800-INSIGHT. For remote enablement solutions for education, visit Insight Public Sector at ips.insight.com.