Thrive New Orleans to Host Ribbon-Cutting Event for Computer Lab

NEW ORLEANS – ​On Friday, Oct. 23, Thrive New Orleans, along with Hancock Whitney and several neighborhood leaders, will celebrate a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the grand opening of the new, state-of-the-art Hancock Whitney Computer Lab at Thrive 9th Ward, located at 3600 Desire Pkwy.

“As work, education, and communication have continued to move online over the past decade, many residents in the Desire and Florida neighborhoods have faced a growing technology gap,” explained Chuck Morse, executive director of Thrive New Orleans. “The lack of access to reliable computers and internet threatens to leave many behind, holding back students’ potential and closing doors for many qualified job seekers. Since March, COVID-19 has only accelerated this movement toward online work and learning and exacerbated the gap. Access to technology is not a ‘luxury,’it’s a necessity.”

Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony marks a major milestone, as phase three of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions gradually opens the door for residents to safely use the computer lab. The lab will be used to support online schooling for students, facilitate workforce and computer training, and afford community members access to the software and internet necessary to accomplish important tasks in their personal and professional lives.

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“Ultimately, the Hancock Whitney Computer Lab now ensures the Desire and Florida Community has a place to learn, to grow, and to connect through state-of-the-art technology,” shared Oscar Brown, director of Thrive 9th Ward’s community center, which is home to the new computer lab. “The lab has already made an impact by helping students who didn’t have reliable internet access to overcome that barrier.”

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