The Lentner Junior Engineers

September 2020: Lentner Technology is proud to announce a charitable project that we undertook with the generosity and support of our partners at Albert Palancia Insurance Agency and the Connecticut Housing Partners.  Within our collective collaboration, we hope to provide opportunities for some of our families in the Fairfield County community.  

This summer Lentner Technology started thinking about how we could help make e-learning more accessible to our local families in the community that has young children in need of tools to facilitate continued education during this pandemic.  After all, with remote learning indefinitely taking over young children's lives, the future of their ability to learn now relies on modern technology.  We don't think it seems fair and only increases the disadvantages that children living in poverty face.

Sean Lentner's son, Owen, decided to use his IT skills and make a difference for his fellow peers.  As many of you all know, with Microsoft ending support of Windows 7, several businesses have had to replace old computers for security and compliance purposes.  But, as Owen said, that doesn't mean the older computers can't be refurbished, up-graded, and re-used.  "Why can't we fix older computers and give them away as gifts?"

Lentner Technology is part of a group of professionals servicing the needs of the Fairfield and Westchester County hospitality sector, the New England Culinary Group.  A partner of ours in the group, Benjamin Palancia, heard of Owen's idea to upgrade older devices and donate them to children in need and jumped on the opportunity to collaborate with us.  Benjamin Palancia of Albert Palancia Insurance Agency, located in Mamaroneck, NY graciously donated 17 computers to the Lentner Junior Engineers program.  His firm specializes in both personal and commercial services, bringing decades of experience with international corporations and strong carrier relationships.  At Albert Palancia Insurance Agency, their focus is to provide protection and peace of mind for everything that matters in your life, with the small town, personal service you can trust.

Owen Lentner has taken these devices and removed all the data from their drives, upgraded the operating systems, and provisioned them for the benefit of a new user.  Thank you to the generosity of Albert Palancia Insurance Agency and the brilliant philanthropic mind of Owen Lentner several families living in the Connecticut Housing Partners apartments will have newly recycled computers designed to help educate our youth struggling to get through remote e-learning platforms.  By using a partner-based approach, Connecticut Housing Partners has been developing affordable housing solutions throughout the state of Connecticut for 30 years.  Their mission is to create and sustain innovative housing, revitalize neighborhoods, and enhance the quality of life for low and moderate-income residents.

Lastly, thank you to Renee Dobos of Connecticut Housing Partners for helping make this project happen.  With creative minds, hard work, and kindness, we will continue to work together to make the world a better place.

-Katherine Russian
Business Development
Lentner Technology