Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada Has Been Selected as the First Dell Powering the Possible Partner in Canada

• New partnership will contribute to closing the technology gap for youth in three underserved communities in Canada)
• 300 Club staff provided technology training
• 5,000 youth provided access to state-of-the-art Dell technology and tools

Young people in 3 underserved communities in Canada will now have access to technology and tools to make it possible for them to fully participate in the global workforce through the first Dell Powering the Possible grant in Canada to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada (BGCC). Powering the Possible is Dell?s commitment to put our technology and expertise to work where it can do the most good for people and the planet. Today?s announcement recognizes the outstanding leadership of BGCC to programs and activities dedicated to closing the technology gap and youth learning.

Canada becomes the 11th country involved in the Powering the Possible commitment where more than $21M has been invested and two million youth have been impacted since 2009. The partnership supports learning programs by placing state-of-the-art technology, financial resources and employee engagement to help young people discover new possibilities, change their lives and unleash their true potential.

The grant will help BGCC integrate information and communications technology training with the addition of Dell technology in three communities across Canada and by providing training to BGCC staff across the country.

?Boys and Girls Clubs are dedicated to giving young people every opportunity to reach their full potential. Through this new relationship with Dell, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada will continue to help children and youth develop the 21st century learning skills they need to ensure future success,? said Pam Jolliffe, President and CEO, BGCC. ?Today in the internet age, we are required to think differently about what, when, where and how young people learn. By supplementing their school education with a variety of innovative, creative and enriching learning experiences, we can broaden their understanding of the increasingly digital and interconnected world around them. BGCC is proud to have been chosen as the first Dell Powering the Possible partner in Canada.?

Through Dell?s grant, selected Boys and Girls Club locations will be able to incorporate technology into many aspects of local programs including homework help, job skills development and online safety.

As part of this partnership, Dell will provide BGCC with grant funding as well as Dell technology such as laptops, printers and data projectors. Importantly, a local Dell Champion will work with the charity to encourage Dell employee engagement to further support the needs of the charity through volunteerism and personal donations. BGCC expects the grant to make a specific impact in three key areas:

• Increasing access to technology by providing the necessary tools such as Dell?s Connected Classroom solutions, OptiPlex 390 desktops and Latitude E5520 laptops that make it possible for low income and rural youth to participate fully in the web of information underlying the global workplace;
• Providing critical training opportunities for BGCC staff to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills they need to, in turn, teach and train youth how to use this technology to do more; and
• Successfully preparing youth to effectively use technology to achieve success by transforming the way young people collaborate, interact and engage with one another and in the learning process itself.

Paul Cooper, country manager, Dell Canada said, ?Dell has a heritage of listening and responding to the needs of our customers, and our local communities are no different. We know from history, experience and numerous studies that learning plays a vital role in breaking the cycle of poverty and inequality in underserved communities. By closing the technology gap and by building strong information and communications technology (ICT) skills, the individual success of the children in the programs delivered by Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada is greatly enhanced, as is our competitiveness as a nation. We look forward to working with Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada to enable Canada?s underserved youth to navigate the digital world.?

Trisa Thompson, vice president of Corporate Responsibility at Dell, said, ?Every child should have an opportunity to develop his or her potential through technology access. The expansion of our investment to Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada reflects our belief that non-profit organizations can best identify and respond to the unique technology needs of their communities. We know that we can change the lives of children who participate.?

About Dell
Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. The same philosophy applies to the company?s Powering the Possible program where it partners with organizations to identify their most pressing needs. Globally, Dell Powering the Possible applies the power of technology to four strategic areas of focus: enhancing childhood cancer care, bridging the digital divide in education, fuelling social entrepreneurship, and bringing relief in the wake of a disaster. For more information on Dell, visit www.dell.ca and www.dell.com/giving.

About Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada
Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada is a leading non-profit organization providing programs that support the healthy physical, educational and social development of more than 200,000 children, youth and their families each year. In 600 locations across Canada, Boys and Girls Clubs offer opportunities, after school and at other critical times when children are not in school, to develop healthy behaviours, academic success, positive relationships and life and leadership skills. Boys and Girls Clubs have been helping young Canadians to discover, develop and achieve their potential for over 100 years. To learn more, visit www.bgccan.com

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