Rotary, New Belgium team up to provide laptops for Front Range Community College students

A prominent Fort Collins nonprofit and one of the city's most popular breweries recently teamed up to provide free laptops to low-income students at Front Range Community College.

The collaboration between the Rotary Club of Fort Collins (Breakfast) and New Belgium Brewing Co. delivered the first round of expected laptops to FRCC's Larimer Campus in August, providing 10 used New Belgium laptops to students in need.

While a personal computer is commonly seen as a prerequisite for college attendees, "For many low-income families or students on their own, access to a laptop is out of reach," said Rotary's Derek Godfrey.

Rotary is working with FRCC and soliciting donations of used, working laptops from area businesses to distribute them to financially-qualified students.

“This is such a boon for our students who come from low-income backgrounds,” said Aparna Palmer, acting vice president of FRCC’s Larimer Campus. “Having a computer is essential nowadays for education and this donation is helping some very deserving students succeed in college.”

Area businesses with used laptops that are in working condition, five years old or newer and with working power supplies are encouraged to contact Godfrey at dgodfrey62@yahoo.com to learn more about how they can help.

“We’re in the process of building this program so that we can reach more students,” Godfrey said. “We’re so grateful to New Belgium for being our first business partner to step up.”

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Rotary, New Belgium team up to provide laptops for FRCC students