(Salt Lake City, UT) October 31, 2017 – During the weekend of October 13th, Bridging the Gap, a national digital inclusion program, distributed over 300 computers and internet service to low-income residents of Salt Lake City. The computers were distributed in partnership with local housing authorities and nonprofits. Bridging the Gap is a nonprofit-led initiative of PCs for People and Mobile Beacon that helps community anchor institutions like housing authorities, schools, libraries and nonprofits provide affordable computers and internet service to individuals and families below the 200% poverty level.
Through the Bridging the Gap program, PCs for People distributed 300 refurbished computers and 4G LTE mobile hotspots with three months of unlimited internet service to eligible low-income individuals and families from the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City, the Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake, Utah Nonprofit Housing Corporation, International Rescue Committee, and Utah Health & Human Rights. The distribution events took place on site at the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City, the Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake, and Utah Nonprofit Housing Corporation. The Salt Lake City Public Library provided basic computer training and one-on-one technical assistance during the distribution events and will continue providing ongoing computer classes at the Library.
“Even though I work full time, I am still low-income,” said Melissa Hoskin, a Bridging the Gap recipient. “So this is amazing to me, I have children who need the computer for everything… My two older children can’t do anything without the computer.”
Mobile Beacon donated 200 computers, 150 mobile hotspot devices, and provided monetary and on-site support for the events. Comcast Internet Essentials also attended and donated 100 computers to the event.
In 2018, Bridging the Gap will partner with local organizations to hold distribution events in Austin, TX, Memphis, TN, Phoenix, AZ and La Junta, CO. Learn more at pcsforpeople.org.
###
About Mobile Beacon: Mobile Beacon provides high-speed, low-cost, mobile internet access to the anchors of communities: the nonprofits, schools, libraries, and healthcare organizations that provide vital services to millions of Americans every day. Through this broadband service, organizations have an essential tool to fulfill their missions and maximize their philanthropic impact, which allows organizations to access more information, reach more people, and help more in their communities. Learn more at https://www.mobilebeacon.org.
About PCs for People: PCs for People is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides affordable computers, computer repair, and internet service to low-income families and nonprofits across the country. In addition, we provide digital literacy training to people with limited technological experience due to social, physical, or economic circumstances. PCs for People has distributed over 60,000 computers, subscribed thousands of families to low cost internet, and recycled millions of pounds of electronics. Our corporate services include secure IT asset disposition and AAA NAID certified data sanitization. Learn more at www.pcsforpeople.org.
Media Contact:
