SENECA STREET : Current Status

Click on the above picture to see an overview video presentation of Phase One (requires Quicktime 7).

It shows the homes that have been refurbished on the street, interviews with some of the staff that are directing the rebuilding, and some "thank you's" from a few people that received a computer.

Note: Click on the following link for a 'low bandwidth' version of the video
(Quicktime 4 minimum):
Phase One (Web Quality)

[File is large---it may take 30-45 seconds to start with a broadband connection]

PHASE ONE EXAMPLES:
Children's Home

PHASE TWO PICTURES:
Delivery

Click on the above picture to see an summary video of the delivery of the "All-in-one" Macs. (requires Quicktime 7).

PHASE THREE EXAMPLES:
Children's Home

Click on the above picture to see an summary video of phase three installations. (requires Quicktime 7).

PHASE FOUR PICTURES:
Audio "studio" beginnings

Click on the above picture to see an summary video of the installation of computer in the audio studio. (requires Quicktime 7).

AS OF: 14 AUG 05
CREATE INITIAL WEB SITE

To update and thank those who 'partnered' with me in this project up to this point, and to give them and others a way of 'sharing' this idea with those who may want to help in the future.

AS OF: 30 JUL 05
INITIAL INSTALLATIONS (Phase One)

Finally, after 7 months of collecting/refurbishing (a VERY LONG time for an 'impatient' person like me), and with the aid of the Director of Fine Arts, Dr. Duren Gutierrez (also a Mac aficionado), we installed 16 COMPLETE SYSTEMS (a computer with lots of memory, CD and pre-installed with a bunch of software; Extended keyboard; Mouse; Hi-res. monitor---some with color scanners and CD burners).

For most of these people, this is the first computer they have ever used, let alone have 'owned'---they were ECSTATIC! These computers could literally TRANSFORM their lives giving them the opportunity to become 'valuable' members of society with a 'healthy' self-esteem coming from the confidence of being able to 'compete' in a higher-level job market than they would have in the past.

In the past few years, Grace Centers has completely 'refurbished' a half-dozen homes on Seneca Street (some needing to have the inside completely gutted). Today there are more than 20 'graduates' residing within these homes. Kent Clark, the CEO of Grace Centers just mentioned to me that his vision is to eventually own ALL of the home on Seneca Street, creating a "little village" environment that will 'incent' the surrounding neighborhoods to also take a bit more pride in their residences and 'rescue' their homes---transforming a 'blight' into a safe and desirable place to live. (View "overview video" to see what Seneca Street looks like today). When this happens (probably within the next year or so), I estimate that I WILL NEED ABOUT 40-50 MORE complete systems!

The newest addition to the growing list of rescued homes 'success stories' is the "Children's Home." It will house 17 previously homeless kids that haven't lived in the same place for more than 6 months at a time. ("Overview video" also shows both the exterior and interior of the home).

In addition to placing these computers in front of those who are going to be just learning how to use a computer, there were other 'opportunities' within the mission's organization that will now be able to 'enhance' and 'extend' their current capabilities (Listen to what Dr. Duren Gutierrez has to say about his plans for the one installed in the "studio" near the end of the "overview video").

AS OF: 25 MAR 06
"ALL-IN-ONE" MACS (Phase Two)

A computer and scrap recycling company called "e-WasteNot WantNot " in Holland, Michigan contacted us to find out if we were interested in "a few" Macs for our project.

I sent a e-mail back to the owner, Jeff Haveman, wondering if he had mistakenly 'hit' the "0" key when he told me how many Macs he had. He responded that he checked his e-mail to me and said that there was no mistake---he wanted to donate 320 "ALL-IN-ONE" MACS, 14 G3 desktop units, and 2 G3 "All-in-ones"!

Well, with Holland being on the other side of the state (about a 4 hour drive), with my Grand Caravan I figured that it would take a least a few years to get them all back to Seneca Street.

So, "Lukes Trucking and Excavation" were good enough to donate a semi truck and a driver to make the round trip to Holland and back to deliver all of the Macs to Grace's warehouse.

I then created a "core build" of the operating system, utilities, and applications to make it easy for non-technical people to be able to help with the 'loading' process---to prepare them for sale.

The computers are currently being sold to help pay for the monthly operating costs of the mission, since they receive no govenment funding.

AS OF: 24 JUN 06
MORE INSTALLATIONS (Phase Three)

With the desktops we received from e-Waste Not combined with other donations, we installed another 20 COMPLETE SYSTEMS on Seneca Street.

As you will see in the video, they still need desks to put the 'new' computers on.

AS OF: 4 NOV 06
AUDIO STUDIO INSTALL (Phase Four)

It's been a 'dream' of Dr. Duren Gutierrez, the director of the "MEN OF GRACE" vocal group, to have an audio "studio" onsite to be able to record and produce the group's CD's.

Well, a great group of guys came in to the "main office" and constructed an "L-shaped" built-in table surface to literally create a "studio."

We then installed a few G4's, G3's and a G3 "All-in-one" into the room to be used as the 'foundation' for the studio. They are still in need of a bunch of hardware like a multi-channel recording and mixing console, studio monitors, mikes, and headphone---and software like ProTools and Waves.

We also installed an iMac in the presentation room that is intended to record what is done in there, and then 'passed' to the audio room for "sweetening" and output.