On May 24, 2023, the Letterkenny Army Depot in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, donated computers and related equipment to two local school districts as part of the Computers for Learning (CFL) program. The Shippensburg Area School District received 110 desktop computers, while the Waynesboro Area School District received 65.
The U.S. Army manages its computers, servers, and related equipment through a lifecycle management system. Recently, software upgrades and ongoing maintenance led to the obsolescence of specific computer hardware at the depot. Instead of disposing of the surplus equipment, personnel from the Directorate of Information Management and the Directorate of Supply and Transportation sought alternative ways to utilize the computers.
The U.S. General Services Administration established the CFL program to encourage federal agencies to donate excess computers and peripherals to schools and educational non-profit entities. The program aims to provide students with the necessary resources for their education and learning. Tina Diaz, chief of the Property Accountability Branch, was inspired to utilize the CFL program to support local school districts due to the growing dependence on digital platforms.
In January 2024, Diaz, along with Michael Rhodes and their teams, began the process of reallocating the excess equipment through the CFL program. After months of coordination, the equipment was transported and offloaded to the district offices in Waynesboro and Shippensburg on May 24 at no expense to the schools.
Col. Donald Santillo, commander of the Letterkenny Army Depot, met with district representatives later that afternoon to discuss the depot’s commitment to the local community. Tina Diaz expressed her gratitude for the positive impact the donation had on the school districts and emphasized that the initiative was not just about giving away surplus equipment, but investing in the future of their communities.
The Letterkenny Army Depot is a government-owned and -operated industrial installation that provides maintenance for tactical missile air defense and space systems, power generation equipment, and various military vehicles, support systems, and protection programs. For more information about the depot, visit their social media pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and X.
