Recognizing the positive effect that computer technology has been shown to have in educating children with autism, the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation began the Laurie Flutie Computer Initiative in 2000 as part of the annual grant cycle. Through this program, the foundation has distributed over 300 computers directly to underprivileged families of children with autism and their school districts in New England and New York. In 2002, Doug Flutie along with his son Dougie and wife Laurie personally delivered a computer to the home of a 7 year-old boy with autism from Braintree, Massachusetts.

In 2003, the Flutie Foundation was able to offer even more computers due to a partnership with Compaq/HP, who generously donated 35 complete systems to be distributed to children with autism and their schools. Along with the Compaq/HP systems, 50 refurbished machines were purchased for distribution by the Foundation from Mindshare Collaborative in South Boston, Massachusetts.

Since coming on board as a sponsor of the Initiative, Hewlett Packard has donated over 115 computers to the program and in 2007 allowed the Foundation to purchase an additional 20 machines at their cost.

Computers are given to families of children with autism who could not otherwise afford to pay for them and to autism-specific classrooms for the sole use of children with autism and their teachers.  Applications for computers are accepted beginning in the fall each year.

Due to the increased cost in shipping, the Laurie Flutie Computer Initiative is limited to individuals and schools in New England, New York and New Jersey.

For more information about the Laurie Flutie Computer Initiative, please contact Chris Chirco at cchirco@flutiefoundation.org.

Past recipients of computers include:

Billerica Massachusetts Public Schools
Braintree Massachusetts School District
Bridgewater/Raynham Massachusetts School District
Cambridge Massachusetts Public Schools
Community Resources for People with Autism
Concord New Hampshire Public Schools
Crossroads Center for Children - Massachusetts
Crossroads Center for Children - New Jersey
Gloucester Massachusetts Public Schools
Jowonio School - New York
Leominster Massachusetts Public Schools
Lowell Massachusetts Public Schools
Mansfield Massachusetts Public Schools
Methuen Massachusetts Public Schools
Milford Massachusetts Public Schools
Nashoba Learning Group - Massachusetts
North Shore Education Consortium - Beverly, Massachusetts
QSAC Day School - New York
South Shore Education Collaborative
Springfield Massachusetts Public Schools
Tewksbury Massachusetts Public Schools
West Babylon New York School District
As well as several individual families in New England, New Jersey and New York