Kramden Institute

Kramden Institute's Mission

Kramden Institute Inc. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit charitable institution based in Durham, NC that is dedicated to empowering hardworking economically disadvantaged students to bridge the digital divide and advance their academic and personal achievements by awarding them home PC computers. This is achieved by collecting donated computers, refurbishing, and reusing computers thereby extending their useful lives and reducing e-waste.

We are proud of the impact Kramden has on both our local and global community.

We INSPIRE students to achieve, ENCOURAGE community resources to impact change, EDUCATE through technology and RECYCLE environmental waste.

Studies show that students with computers in their homes are more likely to stay in school and better able to compete with their peers. Students with computers are better able to complete their assignments, understand questions related to computers and technology, and better able to compete for jobs after they graduate.

Kramden Institute, Inc., is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable corporation. It is based on a father/son project initiated in their home June 2003, when Ned Dibner, then 13, suggested to his father Mark to refurbish and fix older computers to donate to middle school honor-roll students in Durham, NC who could not afford home computers. This pilot project was highly successful and,from July 2003 through March 2004, over 90 personal computers and 50 monitors were donated to the project from individuals and businesses, and 50 computer systems were completed and donated to the school under the Kramden for Kids™ name. These systems were disbursed to sixth, seventh and eighth grade students who were on the All-A or A/B Honor Rolls but who could not afford home computers. By May 2004, ALL honor-roll students in the school had computers in their homes. Additional computer equipment and computers were donated to the school for classroom and teacher use. The initial project was highly successful, and was the basis for the activities and growth of Kramden Institute.

In our pilot project, the rebuilt computers were donated to a middle school, which in turn donated them to its students who cannot afford home computers. In our first year, we targeted honor roll students at Brogden Middle School in Durham, NC. Each kid who did not have a home computer received a working CPU, Monitor, keyboard/mouse, and software for word processing and other Office functions. We placed a modem in each computer and installed freeware antivirus, office, and other programs. We also wrote a user's manual (with Spanish translation, too!) and provided some free initial ISP hookup. Since we were unable to get individual printers and worry about the cost of toner, etc. we set up printer stations at the school, where kids can bring in floppy disks or possibly send in homework to be printed via the internet or modem. Other equipment is being donated directly to the school to help the teachers teach.

Honor roll students were chosen for two reasons. First, on a practical note, there were only so many computers we could refurbish as part of the pilot project. Second, we believe in the concept of helping people help themselves. Kids who strive to do well in school will, and should be, rewarded and given tools to perform even better. We have now expanded the program to include many schools and will add educational programs, training programs, and information sharing programs. Further, we have expanded the donations beyond honor roll students to include other hard-working students as identified by the schools and teachers.

Now, five years later, Kramden has donated over 4,000 computers, given out computers in 31 NC counties, donated computers to kids of our enlisted men and women serving overseas, and have given PCs to kids in such great programs as Communities in Schools, the Emily K. Center, and Habitat for Humanity. More than that, we are working to make our program national. Like Habitat for Humanity, we believe that communities can mobilize volunteers, resources, geeks, and equipment to help serve kids in their area. We are truly of the community, for the community.

Wednesday Evening Work Nights

WHEN: Every Wednesday night from 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

WHERE: Our Kramden headquarters in Durham. We are located at 4915 Prospectus Drive, Suite J Durham, NC 27713 (Click on "Contact Us" and "Driving Directions" on our website for directions)

Wednesday Work Nights are dedicated to refurbishing computers for hardworking, underprivileged K-12 students in the Triangle Community and beyond. We will need all the help we can get. Dinner will be served. Work nights start at 5 pm and end at 9 pm. Please feel free to contact us with any questions! We hope to see you there! To sign up please send us an email letting us know you plan to attend at volunteers@kramden.org. Thank you! * Please wear closed-toed shoes to our Wednesday Work Nights, no flip-flops please*

Mini Geek-A-Thon and Award Days

When: Every Third Saturday of the month (unless otherwise posted)

Location: Our Kramden headquarters in Durham.

What: during our mini geek-a-thons and award dats, we will be refurbishing computers in Geek-A-Thon fashion, as well as awarding computers to hardworking, underprivileged K-12 students who were nominated by their teachers, principals, or school counselors. For more information, please visit our website: www.kramden.org