22 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY november 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com The nine-group SIEDI cohort was selected by the Community Foundation based in part on a diversity of subject matter—arts, digital literacy, agriculture, education and more. Above, Rancho Cielo CEO Chris Devers attends a quarterly convening, focused on housing, on July 21. A foundation aims to change the way economic development works by empowering community leaders in Salinas. By Sara Rubin It’s easy to get lost in the sprawling, 5,500-squarefoot headquarters of nonprofit Loaves, Fishes, and Computers in Salinas. In the front is a store with sample monitors, keyboards and laptops, available for $100-$220. Just down the hall is a sleek room with stools and a wood-paneled counter, reminiscent of an Apple Genius Bar. It’s a work space, or “hub,” with Wi-Fi access. Behind a row of white boards serving as a divider, a volunteer is tending to milk crates stacked with dozens of Chromebooks to be refurbished. Beyond that, an equipment room is home to big shelves of computers and parts. The LFC team of staff and volunteers accept donated computers, wipe the hard drive, repair them and prepare them for resale. Devices come with six months of tech support. In the back of the building is a classroom, where a group of about a dozen seniors—here thanks to the Alliance on Aging—have just received tablets. LFC instructors stand in front of the room and start with the simplest of instructions: how to turn it on. The questions begin immediately (“how do you rotate it?”), as the five teachers start walking around to coach the participants one-on-one. The services of LFC are available to people who are low-income, unemployed, receive CalFresh or other benefits, but the nonprofit services whoever is in need of its technological tools and digital literacy training. “We don’t really turn people away if they need help,” Executive Director Gabriela Lopez Chavez says, “because we understand at this point in our society, digital access is critical.” The role of LFC, founded in 2009, has always been to help close the digital divide. But increasingly, LFC views its role not just as empowering people—with devices, repairs, or training— but also impacting policy decisions Opportunity for Photos by Daniel Driefuss
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