City of Columbia gives computers to families in need

Saturday, the City of Columbia gave away dozens of computers to families in need with the help of two groups.

The Voluntary Action Center, Downtown Optimist Club and the city gave away 33 used computers for the annual Homes for Computers program.

An official with the Voluntary Action Center said families who qualified were within a certain percentage of the poverty level, have a school-aged child and no working computer in their home.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Department also provided an internet safety training to the families at the event.

“We like to do that just to let families know hey when you bring these computers into your home there’s a lot that can come with it,” Jackie Wilmes with the Voluntary Action Center said. “And so it just kind of gives people information and an awareness of things that can happen and ways to be safe.”

The Columbia Area Career Center also helped prepare the computers for distribution.

The Homes for Computers program was approved by the Columbia City Council in 2003.

This year’s program brought the total number of donated computers to 413.