In 1999, the Northern Virginia Technology Council in partnership with the Fairfax County Department of Community and Recreation Services, established the first Computer Clubhouse at Gum Springs in an effort to increase computer literacy among children in low-income communities by providing them with access to computers and technology after school. Since then, three more clubhouses have been opened at Bailey's Crossroads, the Willston Multicultural Center, and James Lee Community Center, with plans to open two more by Winter 2004.

The new clubhouses will be located at the Reston Teen Center, and Mott Community Center. Funding for the new clubhouses came from a grant from the Department of Education, and our goal is to have nine sites around Northern Virginia in the upcoming years. These Computer Clubhouses serve over 800 students, and are strategically located in community and multicultural centers where many kids come after school.

Gum Springs was an original pilot site for PowerUp, an effort by Colin Powell's America's Promise and the Stephen Case Foundation to bridge the "digital divide." The Clubhouses employ trained AmeriCorps*Vista workers to staff the centers and work with the children after school. The Computer Clubhouses are a model public/private partnership for our other similar projects across the country.

Volunteers from the community and NVTC member companies come to the centers regularly to help children do their homework, teach computer classes, and serve as mentors.

The Equal Footing Foundation partners with the Fairfax County Department of Community and Recreation Services, Fairfax County Public Libraries, Fairfax County Public Library Foundation, Fairfax County Public Schools and the Computer Clubhouse Network.