Collection Agency Vital Solutions Donates Computers to At-Risk Youth Center

Vital Solutions, a receivables management firm located in Norcross, Ga., recently donated five PCs and new monitors to the student computer lab at Bald Ridge Lodge. The still-serviceable computers were removed from the network at Vital Solutions as part of an upgrade project.

The staff at Bald Ridge Lodge is delighted to receive the computers. Lodge Executive Director John Haigler said, “I was staring at having to take money away from other vital programs to get new PCs, so this is like a double donation – we’ve got practically brand-new computers for the lab and we can use the money for its original budgeted purpose. This is major, and we really appreciate it.”

Haigler (seated) works on a new computer as Vital Solutions CEO Chris Shuler and SVP and CFO Eric Pittman (right) watch.

Bald Ridge Lodge, Inc. is a non-profit stabilization and assessment residential center for boys aged 12-17. The Lodge is located in Forsyth County, Ga. It serves boys who are in the custody of the Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS) or who are referred by the local juvenile court. Through partnerships with referring agencies as well as families, the Lodge focuses on family reunification and restoration. While at the Lodge, boys receive counseling, mentoring and community support.

The facility, which can house up to 12 residents at a time, has nine bedrooms as well as a full kitchen and laundry, recreation room, study hall, and computer lab.

“We’ve started a courtroom classroom at the Juvenile Court,” Haigler continued.  “It’s for kids who have been expelled from school, and who would otherwise be at home with nothing productive going on. Usually when a child is expelled, it’s for the remainder of the school year. If the child can’t get into some sort of credit recovery program, he or she just completely loses an entire year, and if he’s 16 years old, he may just decide not to go back at all.

“That’s why these computers are so important. The boys will be able to log onto the Forsyth County Schools website and do credit recovery – to work on homework and do class work. They can use Angel and Apex software, which will help them stay up to speed.”

Haigler added, “We’ve discovered that, after doing assessments on the boys who come here, some of them can’t read. They somehow managed to slip through the cracks at school for several years. So we are working now to install software on these computers which will help them learn to read.”

“This donation will add real value to the experience the boys have while they are at the Lodge,” Haigler concluded, “and we deeply appreciate the generosity shown by Vital Solutions.”

Christopher Shuler, president and CEO of Vital Solutions, said, “We try to do things for the community whenever we can, and this opportunity was a perfect fit for us. Chief Financial Officer Eric Pittman (who lives in Forsyth County) and I are both volunteers in other non-profits and foundations, so we know what it’s all about.  Anytime we can help a group like this we’re glad to do it.  In fact, we’re already planning to donate ten more computers and monitors as soon as they are replaced in our system.”