IBM and Sheltering Arms Celebrate 10 Years

January 29,2009

Bright from the Start Commissioner Holly Robinson and the United Way's Milton Little joined leaders from IBM and Sheltering Arms on January 15, 2009.

The event marked a decade of local support for early education from IBM through its donation of more than 100 Young Explorer computers to Sheltering Arms' 17 locations since the program began.

United Way of Metro Atlanta President Milton Little and IBM Director Ann Cramer talk to preschoolers at Sheltering Arms in Downtown Atlanta. On January 15, IBM and Sheltering Arms celebrated their ten-year partnership, which has placed 100 donated Young Explorer computers in the centers' 17 locations across metro Atlanta.

Preschoolers at Sheltering Arms in Downtown Atlanta demonstrate their technology savvy to IBM senior executive for Georgia, Shedrick Harrison. On January 15, IBM and Sheltering Arms celebrated their ten-year partnership, which has placed 100 donated Explorer computers in the centers' 17 locations across metro Atlanta.

Additional Background:

* Sheltering Arms is metro Atlanta's oldest non-profit child care provider. Its Model Teaching Center, Georgia Training Institute and Administrative Offices are located at 385 Centennial Olympic Park Drive, NW, in Downtown Atlanta.
*The IBM worldwide program, entitled KidSmart, is dedicated to helping reduce the digital divide, especially in urban areas where children often have limited access to computers at home.
* IBM has donated 900 computers to child care centers across Georgia since the program began ten years ago.
* United Way kicked off its early education commission in late 2008: http://www.unitedwayatlanta.org/e0-earlylearning.asp