When looking over our customer list for a spotlight for this month we had various charities and churches that seemed appropriate to shine a December light on. I settled on Boys and Girls Haven here in Louisville because, after all, this time of year is about kids. It’s about feeling blessed for what we have and reaching out to help those around us who are less fortunate. Boys and Girls Haven fills a big need in our community. We are proud to work with them, not only on their telecommunications needs but on service projects throughout the year.
The Telecommunication Solution We Designed For Boys and Girls Haven
I asked the Account Rep on this project, Hunter Harper, to explain the solution we designed for them. Hunter told me that the center had a very old system that was costly to maintain. After reviewing their current carrier services, he proposed upgrading what they currently had with new voice and internet options. That upgrade will not only improve their current services, including internet speed, but also cost much less than their current bills.
For the same monthly financial outlay, they were able to upgrade a very old phone system, improve their internet speed, and receive local support on the new equipment. On the flip side, the team at Unified Technologies has enjoyed helping the kids by collecting new uniform shirts at the beginning of the school year to laying carpet in the dormitories later this fall. We have gained so much more from this partnership and look forward to working with the staff and kids at Boys and Girls Haven for a very long time.
About Boys and Girl Haven of Louisville
I reached out to Steve Luckett, Boys and Girls Haven’s Chief Development Officer and asked him a few questions. Here are his answers.
- Tell us about your organization and what you do.
- Steve: Boys & Girls Haven is a foster care agency. Our niche is with the older kids, mostly 14 to 21 years old that have been placed 12 to 16 times throughout the foster care system. These kids are victims of abuse, neglect, and abandonment, many of which, are forcibly removed from their homes. Our job is to stabilize, heal, educate, and get them on a path to be productive adults and citizens. Our continuum of care includes therapeutic residential treatment, pre-independent living services, Independent living services, a foster care agency that recruits and trains foster families, and places foster kids with those families, and a preventive, community-based service that works with families in the home trying to keep them together. We touch 300 plus kids at any given time. The state reimburses us per diem, per youth, which is 80% of the basic cost to care for the youth. We have to make up the rest. Any additional services or programs we do for our foster youth are paid by us as well. We ask the community to help in three ways: donate, volunteer, foster. We always need funds to provide a home and a future for our kids. We need volunteers for our many campus projects, and to also be mentors to our youth. We are always in need of new foster parents.
- What drew your company to make a connection with Unified Technologies?
- Steve: I was drawn to Unified Technologies because of having previous experience with them. I have known several of the team for some time, including Gabby, Scott, and Brian, and know they are very professional, experts in the communications field, do what they say they are going to do, and do their best to be a good community citizen.
- If you could describe Unified in one word what would that be?
- Steve: Reliable!
If you are looking for ways to help out in our community, please look into how you can serve the Boys and Girls Haven.
Merry Christmas.
