At Help Genesis RFK Homes in Union Square, a small daycare room filled with squeals and giggles as a pack of eager 3 and 4-year-olds raced over to investigate an exciting addition to their play space: brand new iPads.
The iPads–100 of them, to be exact–were a donation from travel restaurateur OTG to HELP USA, a leading provider of homes, employment, and other assistance to homeless families, veterans, and victims of domestic violence. Each year, HELP USA provides services to approximately 15,000 people at 30 different residents all over the country. The Genesis RFK Homes have daycare programs that provide for 75 children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old, and the iPads will be an invaluable teaching tool for teachers at the facility.
OTG founder Rick Blatstein was on the scene to present the generous contribution and offer hands-on assistance as the children used the new iPads to create colorful, abstract drawings.
“We’re very technology driven and technology focused as a company, and we just thought it was excellent to give back to the community,” said Blatstein. “I’m hoping that this donation gives these kids an equal if not greater start as every other kid in the community that can afford to have an iPad.”
Also on site helping tiny fingers navigate the new technology were Maria Cuomo-Cole, HELP USA Chairman, and Anson Mount, HELP USA advocate and star of the AMC series, “Hell on Wheels.”
“OTG’s donation of 100 iPads is just really a fantastic opportunity for kids who would never have that access and for teachers to have tools that are very difficult to afford,” Cuomo-Cole said. “Evening the playing field in terms of children having access to technology is extremely important for overall goals of our youth in achieving and developing and being able to compete academically and in our community.”
- (L to R) Rick Blatstein, Maria Cuomo-Cole, and Anson Mount. Photo by Hechler Photographers.
Blatstein hopes that the company’s kind act will have a positive impact on the community’s youth.
“Technology is going to be a big part of theirs lives–it’s a big part of our lives everyday” he said, “ so they should start early and have the opportunity to keep pace and move ahead and be just like everybody else,” he explained.
We couldn’t agree more!
