Third Annual Laptops for Love distribution was a huge success

Sisters Cherry and Sherry Wilmore, locally known as “Everybody’s Favorite Twins” hosted their 3rd Annual Laptops for Love Giveaway on Wednesday, August 4, distributing 15 laptops to foster care students headed to college. The ceremony was held in the Bollinger Suite on the campus of Nicholls State University.

Dr. Kristine Strickland, Fletcher Technical Community College Chancellor, and Jay Clune, President of Nicholls State University served as guest speakers during the ceremony, followed by a presentation by the Wilmore sisters. The program distributed 15 brand-new Dell laptops to students raised in foster care in Lafayette, St. Charles, Orleans, Thibodaux, and Terrebonne Parishes. In addition to receiving a laptop, each candidate received a college care package filled with toiletries, a picture frame, a certificate, a finance budgeting book, and much more.

Nashel Miller, an incoming freshman at Delgado Community College in New Orleans was raised in the foster care system. Miller is an aspiring social worker and plans to help children who are facing the same hardships she overcame growing up in foster care. Miller said the amount of support she’s received from local organizations is all the motivation she needs to further her education. “I feel like someone cares. Growing up, it wasn’t a lot of support, but now that I’m going to college I’m getting a lot of support from a lot of people. I think it’s going to encourage me to finish and pursue my goal to become a social worker,” said Miller.

The Laptop for Love program was founded at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, as an initiative to provide laptops to high school graduates in foster care, who are preparing to enter their first year of college. Born and raised in Lake Charles, LA, Cherry and Sherry were placed into foster care at the age of six, eventually being placed into a children’s home in Terrebonne Parish at the age of 10. While preparing to enter their first year of college at Nicholls State University, the sisters received a laptop from Volunteers of America. This gift inspired them to launch the Laptops of Love Giveaway, benefiting foster children 20 years later.

“In June of 2002, we received a laptop that carried us from our first day at Nicholls State University until we graduated in May 2006,” said Sherry. “We understand how that laptop changed our lives, allowed us to do our assignments, keep up with our peers, and allowed us to graduate. In life, you need access and resources to change your life, so we want to be the same blessing to the future generations, as others were a blessing to us,” explained Cherry.

The sisters hosted fundraising events throughout the year and received an outpouring of support from community leaders, businesses, and local churches. This year, the Laptop for Love program received sponsorships from the Texas Roadhouse of Houma, Lorie Moreau D.D.S., Kristen and Brian Engeron, Crafting in Peace, the NAACP, Bishop Herbert and Lanette Andrews, Beacon Light Baptist Church, Teresa King, Shelia Foseca, Elmy Savoie, Kristen Dumas, Shantelle Abshire, Folse Productions, and Bryan Bunn with Lumiere Blues and Jazz Bistro.

The duo said their goal for 2023 is to expand the program’s coverage to Baton Rouge, central and northern parishes to provide resources to high school graduates. “It’s a lot of disadvantages that come with being in foster care. Our goal is to help provide a sense of belonging to the community. A career in technology is one of the highest paying careers you can have, so if we give them the tools and the resources then we know they have the intellect to make whatever they need to do and desire possible. This year we were able to cover four regions, but our ultimate goal is to expand across the state and help as many high school graduates as we can, and we’re so thankful for our sponsors and supporters,” said Sherry Wilmore.

Learn more about the Laptop for Love program and Everybody’s Favorite Twins by visiting the sisters at https://www.facebook.com/Everybodyfavoritetwins.