Local man fixing old laptops makes us Proud to be From Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — With many schools still conducting virtual learning, a working laptop is a cost many families cannot afford. A local man is now fixing up old computers to help out families in need.

“This COVID-19 has everyone’s life uprooted, working from home and teaching your children from home. Parents are stretched right now and they need all the help they can get. People are always buying the latest and greatest thing and throwing their old devices in the closet, which is where I come in,” Joseph Patrick said.

Patrick worked in IT for 30 years and said he’s fixed thousands of computers. When he heard that schools were delayed due to computer shortages, he took action. He started fixing up old, donated laptops and desktops and gave them away to families free of charge using the neighborhood app ‘Nextdoor’.

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“With COVID-19 and everything, families, you know, can’t afford the extra expense of a computer. So the least thing I can do is use my experience, my resources and do what I can to help every family I can help,” he said.

Since August, Patrick fixed 23 computers for children.

“I hope I can help a child that will be a future professor, president. You never know. It’s just nice to be able to give them that opportunity,” he said.

Joseph Patrick is making us Proud to be from Pittsburgh.

You can reach out to Patrick if your child needs a computer for school through email, theabbyproject@outlook.com.

Pennsylvania COVID-19 travel advisory (10/9/20) Pennsylvania COVID-19 travel advisory (10/9/20)

Cox Media Group