The Christopher Zorich Foundation

THE CHRISTOPHER ZORICH FOUNDATION SPEARHEADS $100,000
SOFTWARE AND ENCYCLOPEDIA DONATION TO CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Chicago's professional Sports Teams Join Former Bear Zorich
In a Commitment to Combat The Digital Divide

The Christopher Zorich Foundation (TCZF), in conjunction with the Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox, is helping the 400,000+ students of the Chicago Public Schools move toward digital inclusion with a $100,000 donation of new software and encyclopedias. Each of the 591 Chicago Public Schools will receive an edition of Africana: the Encyclopedia of the African American Experience, and a seven-CD set of Microsoft Encarta Reference Suite 2001.

"Having the ability to learn about African American history, while mastering computers and the Internet, will give Chicago Public School students an exciting and innovative way to bridge the digital divide," noted current Notre Dame law student and former Chicago Bear Chris Zorich. "Each year, technology access becomes more and more critical for students and their educational and professional advancement." "The digital divide is now a household word and its gaps are self-evident," said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader, who noted that 56 million households in America don't have computers.

Studies show computer and Internet access is becoming increasingly unbalanced, with Black and Hispanic groups ranking high on the list of groups that lag behind. In 1999, the U.S. Department of Commerce released a landmark report, "Falling Through the Net," which documented the information technology gap between Blacks, Latinos and Whites. The report caused a firestorm in Washington by declaring the digital divide the "nation's #1 civil and economic issue."

"I applaud the efforts of The Christopher Zorich Foundation on behalf of Chicago's less fortunate children," said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. "The Foundation is giving these wonderful kids the tools they need - knowledge & technology - to succeed in the 21st century."

Supporters of the $100,000 donation to Chicago Public Schools include Borders.com, Sam's Club and Pickens-Kane Moving & Storage.

Founded in 1993, The Christopher Zorich Foundation funds and administers a variety of charitable, civic and philanthropic endeavors committed to the realization of human potential - Mind, Body & Spirit. Since its inception, TCZF has assisted over 80,000 less fortunate children and adults. The Foundation's programs include the Care to Share family food program, School is Cool, Chris Zorich & Friends, Holiday from the Heart, Love Grows Here, and The Zora Zorich Scholarship.