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SARNIA, May 04, 2021 – At a time when access to technology has become more important than ever, a recent donation to Lambton Circles on behalf of Lambton College is helping local families stay connected.
The College recently donated more than 30 refurbished iPads to the local program, which has been helping Sarnia-area families navigate their way out of generational poverty since 2009.
Kim Godin, Coordinator of the Lambton Circles program says that a lack of access to technology has proven to be a real barrier for many families throughout the pandemic, particularly those with school-aged children participating in online learning, as well as individuals working to pursue post-secondary education from home.
“We truly appreciate Lambton College’s partnership in supporting our initiative with this much-needed technology right now. Our program has a longstanding relationship with the College, which has continued supporting our Monday night Circles group with Allies and educational supports. My sincere thanks to the College for continuing to invest in individuals and families journeying out of poverty and working towards reaching full economic self-sufficiency with sustainable careers,” said Godin following the donation.
Lori Atkin, Manager, IT Operations & Security at Lambton College says the donation was inspired following a recent conversation with a Circles Ally. Atkin said the donated iPads are in full working order, and simply lack some of the security features required for use within the College.
Corrine Thompson, a Circles “Leader” – the title given to participants as they lead their way out of poverty through the wraparound supports of the program – was one of 32 recipients to receive one of the refurbished iPads. Thompson is currently enrolled in the College’s Business Administration – Accounting program, which has been delivered in a remote learning model since the onset of the pandemic.
“I would like to send a big thank you and my sincere appreciation to Lambton College for this generous gift. This has made a remarkable difference in my ability and opportunity to complete my course work and participate throughout the pandemic. I look forward to achieving my learning goals through Lambton College,” said Thompson.
Godin says that Lambton Circles has continued to provide support for individuals and families experiencing poverty throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to technology requirements, things like food insecurity, job loss, housing stability, mental-wellbeing, and social and emotional supports continue to create barriers for many Circles Leaders working to move forward and achieve their goals.
The Lambton College donation is just another example of the many ways our caring community has harnessed the power of working together to help people transition out of poverty, says Godin. Currently, the Phoenix Project in partnership with County of Lambton Social Services also has provisions for Ontario Works recipients to access technology aiming to decrease the digital divide.
Lambton Circles was launched in 2009 as the first Canadian Circles Chapter. To date, 221 families with 275 children have participated in the program, breaking the cycle of poverty for families.
To learn more, please visit lambtoncircles.com.
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For media inquiries or more information:
Jami Kloet
Corporate Communications Coordinator
Lambton College
Telephone: 519-328-2081
Email: jami.kloet@lambtoncollege.ca
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