Campbell Foundation

Cover Letter

December 1, 2004

Campbell Foundation
260 SW Birdshill Road
Portland, Oregon 97219
Attn: Patty Messinger, Administrator.

The Computers for Kids program is designed to help at-risk youth gain access to computers and technology education while providing them with service, leadership and social opportunities that contribute to self confidence and future education and career aspirations.

Free Geek partners with Portland area youth service organizations such as the Native American Youth Association (NAYA) and the YWCA to select youth to participate in recycling and computer building classes. After completing participation in the project participants receive their own computers, complete with a full suite of Open Source software and a certificate of accomplishment.

A more limited yet successful pilot project was conducted last year in concert with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Portland. With that experience and growing interest from other potential partnering programs Free Geek is now running Computers for Kids as a full-scale project with a full time coordinator on staff, having achieved enough of our fundraising goal to get started.

Toward that end we request from the Campbell Foundation a grant of $5,000 to bring our fundraising effort to 50% of the targeted amount of $20,000. Funds go towards transportation, materials and staffing for the first year. Continuing funding after the first year will derive from a variety of sources based on the demonstrated value of program in achieving positive outcomes for 150 Portland Metropolitan areas at-risk youth ages 10-18.

Sincerely,

Oso Martin
Founder/Outreach Coordinator
FREE GEEK
Community Technology Center