Tag Archives: Causes & Community

Tackling the “homework gap” with the National AfterSchool Association

Editor’s note: We’re providing a $500,000 grant to support the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) as a part of our ongoing commitment to help underserved communities deliver on the promise of educational technology. In this post, Gina Warner, president and CEO of the National AfterSchool Association, describes how we’re helping students access the technology they need to learn and grow beyond classroom walls.


Learning doesn’t stop after the school bell rings. Students actually spend 80 percent of their time outside of a classroom, where they develop essential skills by trying out new hobbies, forming important relationships and completing their schoolwork. But there’s a big issue here: While a majority of teachers increasingly assign homework that requires the internet, millions of students—primarily those from low-income and rural communities—don’t have access at home. This is known as “the homework gap” and it’s causing too many students to fall behind.


We believe that afterschool programs can play a big role in closing this gap, but they often need more support and guidance in order to do so. That’s why we’re so thrilled that Google is stepping up to provide this grant to support the 4 million students our members serve.

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The National AfterSchool Association works with the Connecticut AfterSchool Network to support organizations like DOMUS Kids in Stamford, CT, that help young people learn and challenge themselves socially, emotionally, and academically.

For 30 years, the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) has supported more than 520,000 people who are there for students during out-of-school hours: the professionals who keep kids engaged, help them do their homework, and make sure they're safe and supported. Through a new $500,000 grant from Google, we’ll help to make sure that afterschool professionals and their students have access to the technology they need. We're proud to build on the work of Google's Dynamic Learning Project and Grow with Google to provide educators—including those outside of traditional classroom settings—with the skills, trainings and resources they need to help tackle the homework gap.


With Google’s support, we’ve started by commissioning a research review to learn more about how afterschool programs can help close the homework gap. Our initial report, “Empowering Afterschool Professionals for Digital Learning,” found that afterschool programs have the capacity to offer deeper digital learning opportunities. But to fully help young people access and best use technology, our afterschool professionals need guidance, skills and knowledge. Over the upcoming months, with volunteer support from Googlers, we’ll create a toolkit and hands-on trainings for afterschool professionals looking to provide students with access to technology outside of classroom hours. As these are available, these resources will be shared on our NAA site and will be made freely available to the public.


With better support from afterschool professionals, we can't wait to see how our students will develop into digital citizens ready to tackle whatever the future brings.

Source: Education


Searching for new ways to give this season

Search has always been a place to find information about events, news, people, entertainment, music and organizations you want to learn more about. Now you can take your searches one step further by donating directly to organizations you care about using Google Search.


Starting today, when you search for a growing list of U.S.-based nonprofits, you’ll see a new “Donate” option. Tap or click on Donate, and you’ll see an easy donation flow that lets you give to your favorite organization as easily as you can look up its history, phone number, or website.

Search for a nonprofit and donate with a few clicks or taps.

Simply search for a nonprofit like [Direct Relief], and you’ll be able to easily donate with a few clicks or taps.

We’ve seen people’s generosity throughout 2017, especially in times of crisis and need. And earlier this year, we made a commitment to continue to bring the best of our people, products, and philanthropy to make an impact and help create opportunity for everyone. We pledged $1 billion in Google.org grants over five years to nonprofits around the world, and 1 million hours that Googlers can volunteer to nonprofits. And we'll continue to find new ways to support nonprofits through products like Search.   


We’re starting with organizations in the U.S. across causes and locales who have opted in through Google for Nonprofits, and we hope that more opt in moving forward. For those organizations who would like to learn more or be a part of this feature, please visit google.com/nonprofits/.


By some estimates, nearly 30 percent of all giving happens during the holiday season. This spirit shines in our search trends, too, with many people looking for ways to donate and support nonprofits. We hope this feature makes it easier for nonprofits to reach potential supporters, and for you to donate to important causes, this holiday season and beyond.

Source: Search


Searching for new ways to give this season

Search has always been a place to find information about events, news, people, entertainment, music and organizations you want to learn more about. Now you can take your searches one step further by donating directly to organizations you care about using Google Search.


Starting today, when you search for a growing list of U.S.-based nonprofits, you’ll see a new “Donate” option. Tap or click on Donate, and you’ll see an easy donation flow that lets you give to your favorite organization as easily as you can look up its history, phone number, or website.

Search for a nonprofit and donate with a few clicks or taps.

Simply search for a nonprofit like [Direct Relief], and you’ll be able to easily donate with a few clicks or taps.

We’ve seen people’s generosity throughout 2017, especially in times of crisis and need. And earlier this year, we made a commitment to continue to bring the best of our people, products, and philanthropy to make an impact and help create opportunity for everyone. We pledged $1 billion in Google.org grants over five years to nonprofits around the world, and 1 million hours that Googlers can volunteer to nonprofits. And we'll continue to find new ways to support nonprofits through products like Search.   


We’re starting with organizations in the U.S. across causes and locales who have opted in through Google for Nonprofits, and we hope that more opt in moving forward. For those organizations who would like to learn more or be a part of this feature, please visit google.com/nonprofits/.


By some estimates, nearly 30 percent of all giving happens during the holiday season. This spirit shines in our search trends, too, with many people looking for ways to donate and support nonprofits. We hope this feature makes it easier for nonprofits to reach potential supporters, and for you to donate to important causes, this holiday season and beyond.

Searching for new ways to give this season

Search has always been a place to find information about events, news, people, entertainment, music and organizations you want to learn more about. Now you can take your searches one step further by donating directly to organizations you care about using Google Search.


Starting today, when you search for a growing list of U.S.-based nonprofits, you’ll see a new “Donate” option. Tap or click on Donate, and you’ll see an easy donation flow that lets you give to your favorite organization as easily as you can look up its history, phone number, or website.

Search for a nonprofit and donate with a few clicks or taps.

Simply search for a nonprofit like [Direct Relief], and you’ll be able to easily donate with a few clicks or taps.

We’ve seen people’s generosity throughout 2017, especially in times of crisis and need. And earlier this year, we made a commitment to continue to bring the best of our people, products, and philanthropy to make an impact and help create opportunity for everyone. We pledged $1 billion in Google.org grants over five years to nonprofits around the world, and 1 million hours that Googlers can volunteer to nonprofits. And we'll continue to find new ways to support nonprofits through products like Search.   


We’re starting with organizations in the U.S. across causes and locales who have opted in through Google for Nonprofits, and we hope that more opt in moving forward. For those organizations who would like to learn more or be a part of this feature, please visit google.com/nonprofits/.


By some estimates, nearly 30 percent of all giving happens during the holiday season. This spirit shines in our search trends, too, with many people looking for ways to donate and support nonprofits. We hope this feature makes it easier for nonprofits to reach potential supporters, and for you to donate to important causes, this holiday season and beyond.

Two years of Google.org grants for racial justice

For many years, bold leaders across the U.S. have been using technology to foster a national dialogue on systemic inequity. Through painful moments like the Charleston church shooting, Googlers, like many others, asked what we could do to advance a more inclusive society. Two years ago, alongside our Black Googler Network and its allies, Google.org started a formal grant portfolio to advance racial and social justice in the United States.


In the spirit of understanding and getting closer to these complex issues, we began funding nonprofits fighting for racial justice in the California Bay Area—home to Google and many deep-rooted justice movements. In 2016, we doubled down on our commitment by supporting national organizations using data science and research to measure disparities in our system of mass incarceration. And today, we’re building on this commitment with another $7.5 million in grants to organizations advancing reform in our justice system, bringing our support to $32 million total.


Through these latest grants, we continue to support data and research demonstrating the impact of mass incarceration. Last month, we supported LatinoJustice with a $1 million grant to improve the quality of Latinx criminal justice data and shape the narrative and storytelling on the impact of mass incarceration in Latinx communities. And today we're providing a $4 million grant to the Vera Institute of Justice to help them build an authoritative data set that will allow researchers to measure the true economic impact of incarceration rates in rural areas.

Vera Institute: In Our Backyards

Vera Institute: In Our Backyards

Many of our initial grantees are focused on data gathering, research and analysis. We’re now also investing in organizations working on systemic solutions. For example, we’re supporting the Leadership Conference Education Fund with a $2 million grant to bolster their effort to help more law enforcement jurisdictions work with community groups, who are a critical partner in policing. The Leadership Conference has a well-known track record in this area, and they will help establish best practices that lead to more constitutional policing, less crime, and more trust and accountability. Our $500,000 grant to the R Street Institute’s Justice for Work Coalition will support their efforts aimed to bring bipartisan support for criminal justice reform and to reduce barriers to employment following incarceration.


We’ll also continue to multiply the impact of our grants with skills-based volunteer support from Googlers. Just last month, 10 Google software engineers and data scientists volunteered with Google.org grantee the Center for Policing Equity (CPE) on a full-time basis for six weeks in New York. These 10 Googlers helped build and improve CPE’s National Justice Database, the nation’s first-ever database tracking national statistics on policing. They also built software, audited tools, and improved automation efforts to help CPE better process and analyze the reports they send to partner police departments.
A Googler working with the Center for Policing Equity rides along with an officer to understand community-informed policing
Googler Austin Swift, a lead on the CPE Impact Immersion, rides along with an officer to understand his efforts to implement community-informed policing.

This isn't the only time we've teamed up Googler volunteers with grantees. Earlier this year, we helped the Equal Justice Initiative launch Lynching in America, an interactive site that explores this difficult time in U.S. history. More than 200 Googlers have volunteered in grantee Defy Ventures' prison and post-release programs for aspiring business owners, known as Entrepreneurs-in-Training. Working with Defy, Googlers have hosted small business training courses on digital marketing, digital skills and public speaking.


In the year ahead, Google will continue to stand in solidarity with the fight for racial justice. We believe in a justice system based on equity for all, informed by data and supported by community-based solutions. We’re proud to support organizations tackling this complex and worthy challenge.

Indianapolis revs up with Grow with Google

For more than a hundred years, Indiana has been a powerhouse in American manufacturing. Its factories assembled the vehicles that would take the country into a new automotive era in the 20th century. Historic auto companies like Studebaker, Cord and Duesenberg called the state home.


Though Indiana remains a domestic manufacturing hub, the economy continues to evolve. Technology has emerged as a new force, and digital skills have become a baseline in businesses and classrooms. The growth of tech jobs in Indianapolis is the fifth-highest in the country. Despite this, only 48 percent of workers have the required skills to compete in the current job market.


We want to help everyone find new opportunities in the digital economy. That’s why we brought Grow with Google—our new initiative to help Americans gain the skills they need to prepare for work, find jobs, and grow their businesses—to Indianapolis this weekend.


Over the course of two days at the Indiana State Museum, thousands of job seekers, educators, students, and local businesses joined us for more than 20 workshops and 100+ one-on-one coaching sessions, as well as panel discussions that put a spotlight on success stories from the local small business community. We were joined by best-selling author and YouTube creator John Green (an Indy native), and our partners EmployIndy, The Indianapolis Public Library, Ivy Tech Community College, Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana, Indy Chamber, TechPoint and Student Veterans of America.

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    Packed house for the Get Started with Code workshop.
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    One-on-one coaching session with a Googler and Hoosier attendee.

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    Attendees stopped by the Google Developer Training & Certification booth on the expo floor.

One of the featured success stories on our panel was Janus Motorcycles, founded in 2011 by Devin Biek and Richard Worsham, two friends who shared a vision to build their dream motorcycle. Today, the company sells handmade bikes directly to customers online, using videos to showcase their craftsmanship and digital ads to drive sales. From their small production shop in northern Indiana, they bring together the the best of Midwestern handmade craftsmanship and modern manufacturing. Plus, many of their fabricated parts are made within 20 miles of their production facility.

Janus Motorcycles: Building a dream

Janus’ story is an example of how two individuals with a vision can use technology to create economic opportunities for many more.

We’re excited about the many Hoosiers who came out this past weekend, and look forward to working alongside them to help bring their ideas and dreams to life. Keep an eye out for Grow with Google events in even more cities in the months to come, and you can always access tools, resources and programs at google.com/grow.

What we’re doing to support veterans

Before leading Google’s Global Security team, I was proud to serve as a member of the Navy SEALS. There are some great similarities between the military and our company. In both organizations, people genuinely appreciate each other's skills and talents, and we’re all focused on delivering toward a mission.

Veterans have not just contributed to our military but to our arts, our culture and workplaces. This Veterans Day, we hope to play a small part in shedding light on the service our veterans have done (and continue to do) to make our communities strong.

Sharing veteran histories and stories

Google Arts and Culture has partnered with organizations and museums to share a vast collection of art, photography, historical artifacts and stories, and make them accessible to the world. Visit the Veterans Day page to explore works from the U.S. National Archives, the National WWI Museum and more.

Thanking vets in our lives today

From heartwarming homecoming videos to personal vlogs about their experiences both in the armed services and post-military life, veterans turn to YouTube to help share their stories and build community. For this year's Veterans Day, YouTube is sharing a new video to honor veterans for their service.  

#VeteransDay: Thank You for Everything

Preparing vets with IT skills for the future


Every year, we support the Student Veterans of America to encourage veterans obtaining academic degrees in computer science and IT certification. Our initial $1.5 million grant in 2013 enabled SVA to analyze student veteran education data with the aim to increase graduation rates. Since then, we’ve invested in SVA students through scholarships and participation in our annual Google Student Veterans Summit.


We’re also proud to support SVA through our recently launched Grow with Google initiative. Grow with Google aims to help people across America by providing training and tools to grow their skills, careers, and businesses. As part of Grow with Google, we announced a first-of-its-kind IT Support Certificate program, launching in January, in partnership with Coursera. The training program will take learners to entry-level job readiness in 8-12 months. We’re proud to provide SVA with a new $258,500 Google.org grant that will enable 160 SVA students across the country to enroll in the program with full scholarships, coaching and additional support.

Through technology, finding new ways to help vets

Meditation-based treatments are known to help manage stress and anxiety, and bring about focus and optimism—which can be important for veterans returning home. Bravo Tango Brain Training, a new meditation app designed specifically for veterans by National Geographic and 360i, is now accessible through the Google Assistant. When you say, “Ok Google, talk to Bravo Tango,” it will guide you to an exercise based on a mood or emotional state, whether that’s anger, loneliness, anxiety, or something else.


Whether it’s sharing the stories of veterans, helping them tell their own, or providing resources to help them succeed after their service, these are just a few ways to show our gratitude. We’re thankful for the veterans who have dedicated their lives to our country, and to those who continue to serve in the military today.

Portraits of veteran scholars across America

As Veterans Day approaches, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about the military and veterans community. From local artists to community leaders to technology innovators, veterans contribute not only to our workplace, but to our neighborhoods and culture. This dedication to serving the community is what inspired me to enlist in the California Army National Guard four years ago. I was already working at Google, but was inspired by some of the Googlers I met who had served in the military. It's one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I’m one of the leaders of the Google Veterans Network, a volunteer employee resource group that strives to make Google one of the best workplaces for veterans and service members. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Google Veterans Network and since 2014, employees have volunteered over 7,300 hours of service with veteran organizations.

As part of our ongoing commitment to veterans, Google works closely with the Student Veterans of America to support the Google SVA scholarship and invites SVA scholars to the company’s annual student veterans summit. This SVA scholarship helps encourage veterans on their path to attaining a computer science or IT-related degree; applications for 2018 are still open.

I’m continuously humbled by the contributions of our service members and their willingness to share their experiences. So as part of the multiple ways we’re recognizing veterans this week, we’re taking the moment to highlight incredible Google SVA scholars that are strengthening their communities and themselves.

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Gabriel De La Cruz, 2014 recipient

In 2005, Gabriel De La Cruz, a newly arrived immigrant from the Philippines, decided to join the Navy. As a Hospital Corpsman with the Marines, Gabriel was deployed on three separate combat missions to Iraq and Afghanistan, which instilled in him a deep sense of mission and passion for helping others.

Back in the Philippines, he’d gone to school for IT, and upon leaving the military, he decided to resume his studies in that area. He searched on Google for “scholarships for veterans,”  and learned about the Google SVA scholarship. He says it changed the way he saw his future in pursuing a degree for computer science.

“It was a humbling opportunity, and allowed me to understand that there’s a potential of changing people’s lives,” he says.

Today, Gabriel is a graduate researcher,  pursuing a Ph.D. at Washington State University. His goal is to build more intelligent robots that accomplish tasks ranging from helping older generations who have cognitive disorders to reducing casualties on the frontlines. He says his time in the Navy and his interest in robotics are coming full circle.

“I’m most satisfied when I’m able to help the people around me,” he says.

Veterans_Elizabeth.jpg

Elizabeth Jones, 2016 recipient

When Elizabeth Jones joined the Marines in 2005, she was confident she’d be in for life. But soon after she enlisted she began experiencing seizures, and left the corps in 2007.

Her transition back to civilian life was jarring. She felt she’d lost the camaraderie of her fellow Marines, and struggled to find a new purpose in life. Ultimately, Elizabeth decided to go back to school at the University of West Florida. There she pursued a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering after a trusted professor told her she’d be “wasting her intelligence” if she didn’t. She applied for the Google SVA scholarship at the urging of a fellow student veteran, and found the experience incredibly rewarding.

“It helped me push through and not give up when it was really hard,” she says. “And Google’s done a lot more for me than just giving me a scholarship.  I feel like it really showed me that there are people like me doing great things with their degrees.”

Elizabeth is putting her electrical engineering degree to work as a systems engineer for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, in Keyport, WA. There, she works on anti-submarine warfare systems to protect American soldiers at sea.

“I think that people take their place in life for granted, and I don’t feel that way,” Elizabeth says. “I feel very grateful that this is where I’m at in life, and it was made easier than it could have been with the Google SVA Scholarship.”

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James Matthew Landis, 2015 recipient

Army Veteran James Matthew (Matt) Landis always knew he’d join the military. His grandfathers and uncles had all served, and he decided to enlist after college. During his 10 years in the Army as an Apache Longbow helicopter pilot, Matt sustained several head injuries that left him disabled. Upon leaving active duty in 2009, he decided to go back to college, first for art, and later for computer engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. There, he was awarded the Google SVA scholarship for his degree, which had a huge impact on his career.

“It was one of the first real affirmations that I was actually talented and worth investing in,” he says. He also met a community of veterans working in tech who he could relate to. “People didn’t just say, ‘Thank you for your service.’ All they cared about was ‘can you code?’ That was so refreshing,” he says.

Today, Matt is an embedded systems engineer for the University of Pittsburgh where he works on software for robotics technology with healthcare applications, including prosthetics and adaptive sports technology.

Matt is also committed to his work at  No One Left Behind, an organization dedicated to saving the lives of America’s Wartime Allies—interpreters and others that assisted U.S. troops—and their families. Already they’ve brought eight families from Iraq and Afghanistan who served as interpreters and helped them acclimate to their new lives. In addition, he’s running programs to bring STEM education to these same communities. He says, “When I start to imagine what it’ll be like when these families have their children and children's children in 50 years … I’m incredibly proud.“

Portraits of veteran scholars across America

As Veterans Day approaches, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about the military and veterans community. From local artists to community leaders to technology innovators, veterans contribute not only to our workplace, but to our neighborhoods and culture. This dedication to serving the community is what inspired me to enlist in the California Army National Guard four years ago. I was already working at Google, but was inspired by some of the Googlers I met who had served in the military. It's one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I’m one of the leaders of the Google Veterans Network, a volunteer employee resource group that strives to make Google one of the best workplaces for veterans and service members. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Google Veterans Network and since 2014, employees have volunteered over 7,300 hours of service with veteran organizations.

As part of our ongoing commitment to veterans, Google works closely with the Student Veterans of America to support the Google SVA scholarship and invites SVA scholars to the company’s annual student veterans summit. This SVA scholarship helps encourage veterans on their path to attaining a computer science or IT-related degree; applications for 2018 are still open.

I’m continuously humbled by the contributions of our service members and their willingness to share their experiences. So as part of the multiple ways we’re recognizing veterans this week, we’re taking the moment to highlight incredible Google SVA scholars that are strengthening their communities and themselves.

Veterans_Gabriel.jpg

Gabriel De La Cruz, 2014 recipient

In 2005, Gabriel De La Cruz, a newly arrived immigrant from the Philippines, decided to join the Navy. As a Hospital Corpsman with the Marines, Gabriel was deployed on three separate combat missions to Iraq and Afghanistan, which instilled in him a deep sense of mission and passion for helping others.

Back in the Philippines, he’d gone to school for IT, and upon leaving the military, he decided to resume his studies in that area. He searched on Google for “scholarships for veterans,”  and learned about the Google SVA scholarship. He says it changed the way he saw his future in pursuing a degree for computer science.

“It was a humbling opportunity, and allowed me to understand that there’s a potential of changing people’s lives,” he says.

Today, Gabriel is a graduate researcher,  pursuing a Ph.D. at Washington State University. His goal is to build more intelligent robots that accomplish tasks ranging from helping older generations who have cognitive disorders to reducing casualties on the frontlines. He says his time in the Navy and his interest in robotics are coming full circle.

“I’m most satisfied when I’m able to help the people around me,” he says.

Veterans_Elizabeth.jpg

Elizabeth Jones, 2016 recipient

When Elizabeth Jones joined the Marines in 2005, she was confident she’d be in for life. But soon after she enlisted she began experiencing seizures, and left the corps in 2007.

Her transition back to civilian life was jarring. She felt she’d lost the camaraderie of her fellow Marines, and struggled to find a new purpose in life. Ultimately, Elizabeth decided to go back to school at the University of West Florida. There she pursued a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering after a trusted professor told her she’d be “wasting her intelligence” if she didn’t. She applied for the Google SVA scholarship at the urging of a fellow student veteran, and found the experience incredibly rewarding.

“It helped me push through and not give up when it was really hard,” she says. “And Google’s done a lot more for me than just giving me a scholarship.  I feel like it really showed me that there are people like me doing great things with their degrees.”

Elizabeth is putting her electrical engineering degree to work as a systems engineer for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, in Keyport, WA. There, she works on anti-submarine warfare systems to protect American soldiers at sea.

“I think that people take their place in life for granted, and I don’t feel that way,” Elizabeth says. “I feel very grateful that this is where I’m at in life, and it was made easier than it could have been with the Google SVA Scholarship.”

Veterans_MattLandis.jpg

James Matthew Landis, 2015 recipient

Army Veteran James Matthew (Matt) Landis always knew he’d join the military. His grandfathers and uncles had all served, and he decided to enlist after college. During his 10 years in the Army as an Apache Longbow helicopter pilot, Matt sustained several head injuries that left him disabled. Upon leaving active duty in 2009, he decided to go back to college, first for art, and later for computer engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. There, he was awarded the Google SVA scholarship for his degree, which had a huge impact on his career.

“It was one of the first real affirmations that I was actually talented and worth investing in,” he says. He also met a community of veterans working in tech who he could relate to. “People didn’t just say, ‘Thank you for your service.’ All they cared about was ‘can you code?’ That was so refreshing,” he says.

Today, Matt is an embedded systems engineer for the University of Pittsburgh where he works on software for robotics technology with healthcare applications, including prosthetics and adaptive sports technology.

Matt is also committed to his work at  No One Left Behind, an organization dedicated to saving the lives of America’s Wartime Allies—interpreters and others that assisted U.S. troops—and their families. Already they’ve brought eight families from Iraq and Afghanistan who served as interpreters and helped them acclimate to their new lives. In addition, he’s running programs to bring STEM education to these same communities. He says, “When I start to imagine what it’ll be like when these families have their children and children's children in 50 years … I’m incredibly proud.“

Source: Education


Defy Ventures: Using Chromebooks and G Suite to give people a second chance

Editor’s note: Today’s post comes from Charles Hoke, Chief Development Officer of Defy Ventures, a nonprofit that helps current and formerly incarcerated people in 25 U.S. correctional facilities launch new careers. Defy Ventures uses Chromebooks, G Suite and Pixel phones to help people with criminal histories learn about entrepreneurship and research business opportunities.

The prospects for work are bleak for incarcerated people, even when they're released from prison. Research from the American Civil Liberties Union shows that 65 percent of formerly incarcerated individuals are still unemployed one year after their release. But they have the talent to make their way in the outside world, legitimately—what we call “transforming the hustle.” At Defy Ventures, we help these Entrepreneurs-in-Training (EITs) make a new start for themselves by starting their own businesses. We work with them while they’re in prison, and continue to help after their release.

To help EITs develop their business skills, we connect them with technology so they can search online for business opportunities, watch training videos, and communicate with mentors. Chromebooks and G Suite have become key tools in helping EITs realize their dreams.

Most people leaving prison don’t have computers. We used to give donated and refurbished laptops to EITs, or invite them to our office to use our computers—but the laptops and software were often out of date. That’s when we turned to Chromebooks, which auto-updates and always has the latest software, product features and virus protection. Thanks to a collaboration with Google since December 2014, we’re now giving EITs Chromebooks, G Suite accounts and Pixel phones—all of which they get to keep after graduating from the program.

The speed and simplicity of Chromebooks, as well as their reasonable cost, made them perfect for us. Many EITs don’t have a lot of computer knowledge, but it doesn’t take them long to figure out how to use Chromebooks and G Suite. The fast learning curve saves time for our program staff, who would normally have to answer EITs’ hardware and software questions, since we don’t have an IT department. Equipped with Chromebooks, EITs can watch 250 hours of Defy Ventures video tutorials on entrepreneurship, employment readiness, and personal development. Chromebooks also connect EITs to other resources, like job boards, housing lists, and even where to find clothes to wear to interviews.

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Defy Ventures EIT Eugene Williams

Matching EITs to mentors is an important part of our service. We used to pair them using paper documents and spreadsheets. By placing mentor and EIT information into Google Forms, we streamlined the process so staff can make matches 50 percent faster than before. Our staff is also using G Suite tools like Gmail, Docs and Sheets to collaborate on work projects.

Google technology also helps us maximize our resources. Previously, with only a few borrowed or refurbished laptops, plus our office computers, we could only serve about 30 EITs at a time. Now that EITs have Chromebooks and G Suite, they can work independently, and we can serve as many as 250 EITs at once. The new device setup is quick and easy. We created a 30-minute training course called “Getting to Know your Google Chromebook,” which walks EITs through device setup and the basics of using G Suite. After EITs have completed the course, our program managers follow up with each one to answer any remaining questions they have.

We believe that with Chromebooks and G Suite, we’ll be able to replicate our program in more cities. And by offering EITs better technology, we believe we can improve retention rates and reduce their time to employment or to business launch. We’ve given away 200 Chromebooks to date, and we expect to give away about 1,500 more over the next two years.

While these are long-term impacts, EITs have told us how Chromebooks and G Suite are changing their lives right now. “With this new Chromebook and Pixel phone, I am now able to manage my company seamlessly and more efficiently,” says EIT Aaron Owens, who founded Florida marketing and branding company ArkBM.

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Defy Ventures EIT Aaron Owens

Formerly incarcerated people have paid their debt to society, but they can remain in invisible handcuffs because of a lack of opportunities. I love seeing the smiles on EITs’ faces and hearing the giddiness in their voices when they realize how much easier it is to pursue their personal goals with the use of technology. And I'm glad we've found the right fit with Chromebooks and G Suite.