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LA County Is Giving Away Free Laptops To Low-Income Residents
A person uses a laptop computer.
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Glenn Carstens-Peters/Unsplash
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Computers are pretty essential in life, but they’re also expensive and can be out of reach for many. Nearly 180,000 L.A. County households don’t have one, according to the U.S. Census.
Which is why Los Angeles County is giving away free laptops to people who need them, closing the "digital divide" as it’s being called.
The county Delete the Divide initiative aims to close that gap, targeting low-income communities where more than 20% of households lack internet service. The goal is to help residents navigate modern technology and allow them to access municipal and other social services online.
“That is essential to help people get connected, to develop keyboarding skills, to have access to websites and things that they need to conduct daily activities,” said Selwyn Hollins, director of the county’s Internal Services Department, which runs the program.
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Hollins said the devices are refurbished laptops with Windows 10 Pro, and come with up to one year of tech support. They were funded by the county’s general fund with approval from the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
Many of the 1,800 laptops have already been given out at different events throughout the year. One of the next events is happening on Thursday, Dec. 21, when 50 laptops will be given away on a first come, first serve basis, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. as part of the opening of the new Carson Library.
To qualify for that event, you must be an L.A. County resident and complete a needs assessment form onsite. The organization will also distribute swag bags with information on federal and state internet discounts and other support services.
Separately, 1,000 veterans who pre-registered will also get laptops by the end of the year.
Hollins said the county plans to give away 7,500 new laptops in 2024 with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and a grant from the California Public Utilities Commission.
You can pre-register for those by going to deletethedivide.org.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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