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- IRVINE, Calif. May 26, 1992 -- To help speed distribution of food, clothing
- and personal care items to families displaced from their homes following
- the Los Angeles-area riots, AST Research Inc. today announced it has
- donated desktop and portable personal computer systems to the Rebuild LA
- extragovernmental task force, headed by former baseball commissioner Peter
- V. Uebrroth.
-
- In addition to powerful 486-based EISA file servers which will be used as
- the data processing hub of the Rebuild LA administrative offices, AST will
- donate 386-based desktop and notebook systems that will be used by Los
- Angeles food distribution organizations for administration and inventory
- control of foodstuffs, clothing and personal care supplies.
-
- When operational at the food distribution centers, the PCs will reduce the
- amount of time devoted to logging-in and tracking down supplies, replacing
- the present hand-order methods used in most locations. Each will be
- equipped with a fax/data modem to allow communication and data transfer
- between other food distribution centers and the Rebuild LA offices. The
- notebook systems will allow for portable operation at remote locations.
-
- AST's donation is part of a technology coalition formed last week by
- Rebuild LA, consisting of companies that include Microsoft, Novell, Epson
- America, Word Perfect, Symantec and Compex, who have pledged product
- donations that will be used in the relief effort. The effort to seek the
- various technology donations by these companies was orchestrated by
- Dariana Inc., an Orange County-based computer software publishing
- company.
-
- "The quick commitment by AST to donate systems helped to secure product
- pledges of appropriate technology from other computer companies," said
- Frank Westall, Dariana director. "Most were able to ship products within
- 48 hours."
-
- Utilizing the donated services of Arthur Andersen, Rebuild LA will link the
- PC systems at individual food distribution agencies together in a network
- to better allocate resources and deliver vital supplies to displaced
- families.
-
- "Helping to feed hungry people is one of AST's primary philanthropic
- causes," said Richard Ottaviano, AST vice president, Human Resources. "Our
- contributions will provide instant assistance to organize and effectively
- distribute the tons of donated food and clothing that are arriving daily
- Angeles from all over the country."
-
- PC shipments have already arrived to the Rebuild LA offices from AST's
- Fountain Valley, Calif. manufacturing facility. The initial shipment
- included two Premium SE 4/33 EISA file servers that will be used in the
- Rebuild LA office to link a several PS/2 systems donated by IBM. This
- week, AST will ship eight Premium Exec 386SX/20 notebook computers and two
- Bravo 386SX/20 desktop systems to the food distribution centers.
- Additional Bravo 386SX/20 systems are available for shipment once needs
- are further defined.
-
- In addition to the systems, AST will also provide toll-free telephone
- support and assistance to help Rebuild LA, Arthur Andersen and the local
- food distribution and disaster relief agencies install their systems and
- get them up and running. Arthur Andersen also will provide the systems
- engineering services to configure the donated applications software
- donated by the various companies.
-
- AST's equipment donation is the company's latest food related donation
- effort. Earlier this month, commemorating its entry into the FORTUNE 500,
- the company donated 500 cases of food, equivalent to nearly 50,000 meals,
- to the Food Distribution Center in Orange County. AST also announced it
- will provide meals to 500 low- and fixed-income and homeless people in
- shelters throughout the county this summer.
-
- AST Research Inc. is a leading market share holder of desktop, file serve
- and notebook computers. The company's product lines, which include the
- Premium, Bravo, Advantage! and Premium Exec families, allow users to
- choose from a full range of price and performance options. The company is
- represented in 100 countries and operates 39 subsidiaries and sales
- offices worldwide.
-
- AST Research corporate headquarters are located at 16215 Alton Parkway,
- P.O. Box 19658, Irvine, Calif. 92713-9658. Telephone: (714) 727-4141 or
- (800) 876-4278. Fax: (714) 727-9335.
-
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