Microsoft D.C. office teams up with local non-profit Horton’s Kids

By Matt Gelman,Senior Director for Congressional Affairs, Microsoft

Microsoft joined the D.C. community on Wednesday to celebrate the work of Horton’s Kids, a Washington, D.C. non-profit dedicated to providing comprehensive services to 300 children and 100 families in the Ward 8 neighborhood. The event featured elected officials including Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, congressional and administration staff, Microsoft colleagues, and more than 200 community members and supporters of Horton’s Kids. All gathered to honor the work of Horton’s Kids and watch the Food Network’s “Restaurant: Impossible” episode, featuring First Lady Michelle Obama. In the episode, the First Lady challenges Chef Robert Irvine to renovate a community center for Horton’s Kids.

I’ve been involved with Horton’s Kids since I met the founder Karin Walser more than 20 years ago when we both worked on Capitol Hill. Karin opened my eyes to the needs of the children in this community and her vision for an organization to provide basic services that most people take for granted, including nutritious meals, after-school tutoring, and access to learning tools. Yet we know that youth in communities across America face an “opportunity divide” – a gap between those who have the access, skills and opportunities to succeed in a 21^st century economy, and those who do not.

As a board member for Horton’s Kids for the past eight years, I am really proud of Microsoft’s Citizenship mission to create opportunities for youth through technology, training, and experiences that empower them to not only imagine their full potential, but realize it. Microsoft is focused on trying to help bridge the opportunity divide, particularly for young people who have amazing potential, yet are more vulnerable to economic hardships and need the right support.

As part of our support for the Horton’s Kids renovation, Microsoft donated equipment and software for a state-of-the-art computer lab to support the children served by their Community Resource Center. Microsoft staff also installed the technology in the center, which included 14 new computers, 16 computer monitors, and 29 portable Acer Tablets all uploaded with the most current software to assist in the mobile tutoring program. The new computers will not only help the children become more adept at using technology but will also help neighborhood parents – who are able to take advantage of the community center – create resumes, search for jobs online, and communicate with potential employers via email. Microsoft also donated a server and software, as well as two Xbox 360 gaming consoles with flat screens equipped with the popular Kinect technology, which allows the children to exercise in a safe, fun, and controller-free environment.

This new computer lab is important because it will help support Horton’s Kids efforts to provide tutoring and learning skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic. It will also be used as a more advanced training center onsite and “mobile” through the community for both kids in the program and their families.

Microsoft is proud to help support Horton’s Kids, which is improving the lives of children in our community. The work of this organization and their mission to serve as a “second family” is an inspiration to me and my colleagues at Microsoft. We hope this new technology lab will help many more D.C. kids be prepared for – and realize – their dreams.

A great example of one of these kids is Anthony Simon, who gave the keynote speech at the event and is one of the many success stories from the Horton’s Kids program.

High school junior and Horton’s Kid participant Anthony Simmons speaks at the event celebrating the work of Horton’s Kids at the Microsoft Innovation and Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

I hope you will take a minute to read Anthony’s remarks about what the program has meant to him and his family. He is why I am so proud to be involved with Horton’s Kids.