SAN FRANCISCO, April 23, 2020 — Port53, a cybersecurity company focused on simplifying the adoption of effective security products, announced that it has partnered with Devices for Students, a nonprofit focused on making online learning accessible to underprivileged K-12 students, to deliver 53 laptops for students in need.
Six million California students have had their schools closed, and many of them don’t have the tools they need for remote learning. Approximately 15% of California school-aged children don’t have internet access or a device at home. Technology insecurity is among the many challenges families face with this new form of education.
“My late father initially arrived in the US on a Fulbright Scholarship to attain a high-quality education with the ultimate goal of providing accessible education to the masses. I intend to carry out this vision starting in California, my home state,” said Omar Zarabi, Port53’s founder and CEO.
Port53 donated 53 devices to Devices for Students, who have partnered with school districts across California. They have already distributed over 1000 laptops. They purchase heavily discounted laptops and data hotspots and process donated devices through the community and local sponsors. Their team of volunteers configure the software and hardware at a local staging location and provide technology training for teachers and students receiving the devices.
Devices for Students aim to close the resource divide between students at California schools and provide easy access to online learning. Through partnerships with generous businesses like Port53, community organizations, and local schools, they connect devices and technical resources with the students who need them most. Through these partnerships, they have established the infrastructure to identify students in need, reduce device acquisition cost, streamline device distribution, and to track the initiative’s results.
Please reach out if you are interested in joining our efforts, have creative ways to help, are a part of an organization that is interested in partnering with us, or to say hello.
Make a Donation
https://donate.sparkprogram.org/give/277545/#!/donation/checkout
Volunteer or Become a Partner
https://www.devicesforstudents.org/nice-to-meet-you
About Port53
Port53 is a cybersecurity firm focusing on enabling organizations to safely and securely thrive in the digital world by delivering enterprise-grade solutions that are easy to deploy, simple to manage, and extremely effective. Port53 works closely with Cisco’s leading security offerings including Cisco Umbrella, AMP for Endpoints, Meraki, Cloud Email Security, Duo Security and CloudLock, as well as other cloud-delivered security solutions including OneLogin and Lacework. Learn more at www.port53.com.
About Devices for Students
Devices for Students was inspired by the sweeping changes COVID-19 made to our education system in CA. Access to remote learning is no longer a luxury, it’s now a necessity for K-12 students to continue their education. One million CA public school children do not have access to the internet or computers at home. Devices for Students’ mission is to bridge that gap by providing laptops and reliable WiFi access to the students who need them most.
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