Dell Donates PCs To Military FamiliesDell Donates PCs To Military Families

Dell has donated 200 computers to the families of soldiers being deployed to Iraq out of Fort Hood in Texas.

For the past two years, the computer maker has teamed up with Operation Homelink, which provides refurbished computers to the spouses or parents of junior-level enlisted service men and women who have been deployed overseas. Dell spokesman Dean Kline said he estimates the company has given more than 500 computers to military families since 2004. He noted that the latest donation, announced Thursday, was the company's largest to date.

Most of the donated systems were refurbished Optiplex desktops with mini towers.

"We're trying to get computers into the hands of those families just before the soldiers deploy, so they can maintain that connection once the soldier has gone to war," said Kline, adding that the Fort Hood soldiers are about to ship off to Iraq. "When you can keep in contact by e-mail, it lowers their stress level and helps them feel more connected. It's great that technology can help bridge that gap."

Kline said Operation Homelink works with the different branches of the military to identify the soldiers' families who are in the most need of the equipment. Dell is looking to increase the number of its donations, ramping up to doing it every quarter, Kline said. The next donation is planned for Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.