top of page

He Gave the Gift of Connectivity

Writer's picture: OLA of Eastern Long IslandOLA of Eastern Long Island

Updated: May 1, 2022

By Christine Sampson

Michael Donovan

When you know his background, it's easy to understand why Michael Donovan came to the aid of thousands of schoolchildren by donating Chromebook computers for them to do remote schooling during the pandemic.

Mr. Donovan was born in Panama, grew up in Costa Rica and Peru, and attended schools in the United Kingdom and the United States. While not Latino by ethnicity, he said he feels an extremely strong connection to Latino identity, culture, and history. He was an early pioneer in the computer engineering industry, starting with IBM in 1964 before striking out on his own in 1965. In 2012 Donovan Data Systems merged with Mediaocean, which was bought by Vista Equity Partners in 2016.

Mr. Donovan and his wife, Linda, are New York City residents who have also lived in Bridgehampton for five years, and are sheltering here during the pandemic. He is a leading supporter of OLA of Eastern Long Island.

"When Covid came, I realized that the schools didn't have enough devices" for the children, he said. He teamed up with OLA to donate more than 5,000 Chromebooks to numerous school districts, and in some cases also provided families with mobile internet devices if they didn't have Wi-Fi.

"It was a logical choice. I particularly wanted to get the Chromebooks to the disadvantaged," Mr. Donovan said. "The East End is a very strange mixture of incredible wealth and poverty."

When Covid-19 was on the cusp of exploding into the global pandemic it became, he and his wife were able to catch the last flight out of Peru before the borders closed. Several of his family members have caught and recovered from the virus.

"Let's hope 2021 is better for all of us," Mr. Donovan said.
12 views0 comments

Comments


Let's Connect

In Person

2 Newtown Lane, East Hampton, NY 11937

Please contact us to schedule a meeting.

If you can’t get to us, we can come to you.

Online

Send us an Email or message us on Facebook or Instagram.

Over the Phone

Text Messages

Logo-1.png

OLA of Eastern Long Island, Inc. (Organización Latino Americana) is a Latino-focused nonprofit advocacy organization working in Long Island’s five East End towns. OLA is a 501c3 public charity.

Federal Tax ID #: 43-1997489.

Contact Us

Write To Us

Visit Us

P.O. Box 278

Sagaponack, NY

11962

USA

2 Newtown Lane

East Hampton, NY

11937

USA

Navigate

Where We Work

Founded and based in East Hampton, we work in the villages and hamlets of the Towns of East Hampton, Southampton, Riverhead, Southold, and Shelter Island.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • LinkedIn

Join Our Mailing List

Sign up to receive updates on events and news. 

© 2024 OLA of Eastern Long Island. Web Design by Alchemy Effect |  Terms and Conditions  |  Privacy Policy

bottom of page