Today's fast-moving technology has made many children experts at using computers, while many of their grandparents still lack the confidence and basic skills to even send e-mail.

That's a gap the Lighthouse Foundation wants to help close.

"The computer today is sort of like the phone was a few generations back," said Tom Ritchey, the foundation's associate executive director. "Despite your economic status, you almost can't exist without it."

In keeping with its philosophy of connecting people who need help with people who want to give it, the charitable foundation began offering free computer courses in January at its Cruikshank Road facility in Middlesex.

The foundation serves about 6,500 people annually as a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian mission.

It was founded in 1985 in response to the growing needs of a community facing rising unemployment. It was originally based at the First Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown in Richland before moving to its present location in 1991.

The foundation provides housing to homeless young adults and single parents with young children in Butler County and Richland, West Deer, Pine and Tarentum.

It also has a food pantry and offers aid in various forms through five sites around the area. These include two transitional housing facilities, a used furniture and appliance warehouse, and garage space for a car donation program. The Middlesex headquarters houses a Christian bookstore, a kitchen, the food bank and a home for boys.

A technology center -- equipped with nine computers -- was recently added in a small room next to the bookstore.

The idea of adding computer courses came from Rosemarie Dunn, of Shaler, while she was looking for work last year. She had been in touch with Lighthouse Executive Director Vernon Borchert and with a program called Faith Tech, which offers introductory computer classes to needy people.

"I put two and two together -- Lighthouse and Faith Tech -- and I thought this was a natural connection," Dunn said. She now works for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, but returned to the Lighthouse in January as one of its first Faith Tech instructors.

The Lighthouse center is the 10th Faith Tech site, and the only one in Butler County.

"There's currently a digital divide between people who know how to use computers and have them and people who don't," said the Rev. Jay Geisler, who founded Faith Tech three years ago at his church in Penn Hills. "We're trying to bridge that gap."

Geisler said people in rural areas are not as computer literate as those in urban and suburban areas, which made the Lighthouse facility a perfect candidate

"Their site is really one of the best," he said, noting that going into its second session, the Lighthouse courses already have a long waiting list. "They have a strong volunteer base, a strong mailing list, and they're doing a lot to let people know that it exists."

Ritchey believes that providing computer classes is just as important as providing food and shelter.

"It would be easy for some to say there are hungry people, why are you messing around with tech classes?" said Ritchey. "I'm a semi-technical dolt myself, but I also believe that this is no longer a frill -- it is increasingly a necessity for quality of life."

Ritchey said people who don't use computers often feel inept and left behind. "They might have a computer, but they can't even turn it on -- and when their grandchildren try to teach them, they don't have the patience. It really impacts people's self image.

"But you just have to do it -- usually in the company of someone who knows what to do."

The classes are two hours a week for six weeks, and are attracting students from all over Butler County.

"There are the seniors who are scared but want to become current, people who have some interest and know that it would help them, as well as people who are out of work or underemployed and want to beef up their skills but can't afford to pay for community college courses," said Ritchey.

The Lighthouse offers two classes, an introduction to the Internet and digital photography for beginners. A genealogy course will be added for the next session, which begins the week of April 26.

Volunteers are still needed to teach the courses and assist in the classroom, and they needn't be computer experts."Someone who really has the teaching skills and also likes computers would be ideal for this job," Dunn said. "Someone who knows a lot about computers forgets how much they know and really has trouble coming down to a level where most beginners are."

Dunn's teaching approach is low-key and nonthreatening, using games like solitaire to help her students become comfortable using a computer and mouse.

"People have the fear of destroying it, deleting something, damaging the computer," she said. "Others come in with baggage from bad school experiences."

Wilbert "Red" Bonzo, 70, of Franklin, disliked working on the computer when his job required it shortly before he retired. When his wife, Phyllis, bought a computer to send e-mails to their children, Bonzo refused to get involved.

"Red wouldn't even touch it; he had no interest," said his wife. When she saw information about the upcoming courses in the foundation's newsletter, she asked her husband to join her.

"He was going for me in the beginning, but he enjoyed the class and was the one who wanted to take the second class," she said.

The two began their second session last Tuesday.

"In our first class, we had a 10-year-old home-schooled boy and an 83-year-old man who wanted to get up to speed," said Ritchey. "It cuts across socioeconomic boundaries, and is open to everyone."