Local Foundation Connects To Connect-A-Vet

By Nancy K. Crevier

Like a complex Venn diagram, the worlds of Make A Home Foundation, Robin Buchanan, Associated Refuse Haulers President Pat Caruso, and Connecticut Computer Care owner Christian E. Porter have overlapped, to the benefit of numerous families around the state.

Make A Home Foundation is operated by Dan Telesco and Anita Pettengill of Sandy Hook, collecting and distributing home appliances, furniture, clothing, and other household goods to veterans and Connecticut residents who find themselves homeless.

Robin Buchanan is a volunteer with Make A Home. “Because the mission of Make A Home is to help vets and families in need, I went online to find out what vet organizations were out there that we might assist,” said Ms Buchanan. It was there that she found Connecticut Computer Care owner Christian Porter’s sideline, Connect-A-Vet, his personal effort to see that families of troops stationed away from home are able to stay in touch via computer. Because the foundation frequently gets donations of computers, keyboards, and monitors, but does not have the ability to distribute them and set them up, “We had become a depot for used computers,” said Ms Buchanan. Two rooms of the home on Church Hill Road that houses Make A Home were brimming over with electronics.

“I thought Connect-A-Vet was a great idea, so I called Christian and asked if he could use them, and he arranged to come and pick them up,” Ms Buchanan said.

Around the same time, Mr Telesco asked Ms Buchanan to arrange for the rental of a dumpster. Along with the many valuable items that are donated to Make A Home, Mr Telesco and Ms Pettengill also end up with nonrecyclables that must be discarded. “I contacted Associated Refuse, and Pat came over to drop off a container,” said Ms Buchanan. He noticed the sign for Connect-A-Vet and asked her about it.

“In our business, we never know what we are going to come across,” said Mr Caruso. Coincidentally, shortly afterward, he was doing a cleanup job for an oral surgery center in Danbury that had a number of computers to be trashed. “I asked the office manager if she minded if I found a home for them, and she said ‘Sure!’ So we loaded probably a pallet full with computers, and brought them to Make A Home,” Mr Caruso said. “It’s great. We helped one business help another, and found someone who needed them. So much stuff just gets thrown out,” he said.

Mr Porter, of Lisbon, Conn., began his mission to help the families of service people about three months ago, he said, as he arrived for the initial pick up of computer components. “In my computer business, I have seen a lot of families who have a hard time affording my services,” said Mr Porter, who is a United States Air Force veteran and the son of a veteran.

“I know that a lot of the families of enlisted men don’t make much money, but what really got me going was when I was fixing a computer for a young woman. She had two little kids, and the little girl kept running up to me and saying, ‘Can I talk to Daddy now? Can I talk to Daddy now?’ That computer was how they stayed in touch with their father, who is stationed offshore with the Navy,” Mr Porter recalled. “Then she came up to me with a handful of Skittles and asked, ‘Will this help pay for fixing it?’ That really got to me. I knew there were other service families that probably need working computers to stay connected with each other,” he said.

The idea he originally had was called “Operation Connect a Military Family” and Mr Porter planned to do “what I was able to do and help a few families with a free computer.” The next thing he knew, friends were donating more computers to him for families to have. Since then, he has set up eight families with computers that he has completely refurbished and installed, at no cost to the families. Microsoft provides free software to load on the computers, he said.

He was thrilled to receive the large number of computers from Make A Home, he said. Even old monitors that cannot be used in a new setup, as they are too costly to operate, have parts that can contribute to the Connect-A-Vet program, he said. “I’m thankful for the help in doing this,” Mr Porter said. “You see the true goodness in people in all that they give.”

His next step will be to find out how many computers are repairable and will be good for a family. “Once I have that done, hopefully within the week, I will once again share the information to families and provide a free computer to them,” said Mr Porter. The only criteria he has for distributing the free computers, is that the family has one member currently serving in the armed forces. “I do verify those names, as well,” Mr Porter said.

In addition to running Connecticut Computer Care, the bread and butter of his own family, Mr Porter devotes hours to Connect-A-Vet and other efforts that assist US veterans. “If you have a passion, you just keep going,” he said. “I believe we have to help our neighbors, that you do what you can to help others. God gives us gifts, and mine is with computers. I started reaching out, and the program has just snowballed.”

To find out more about the Connect-A-Vet program, contact Mr Porter at ctmicro@sbcglobal.net or call 860-334-8712.

Make A Home Foundation continues to accept donations of computers, as well as any other household items in good use that will help them, help others, to “Make A Home.” For pickup or drop-off information, call 203-270-5501, or contact Ms Pettengill at apetten999@aol.com.z