100 community members receive free laptops to improve the digital gap

by Joe Hennessy

POOLER, Ga. (WTOC) - 100 free, refurbished laptops were distributed to community members who completed a literacy training program at Goodwill.

AT&T and Human I-T provided the laptops to the Goodwill of Southeast Georgia on West Central Boulevard in Pooler on Tuesday morning.

They say the digital divide is the gap between those who can fully participate in the online world and those who can’t.

President & CEO of Goodwill of Southeast Georgia, Jason Marshall, said, “There’s probably 35-40% of people that don’t have an access point within our communities to be able to access the vital services that you get on a computer, so the need is great.”

AT&T and Human I-T are provided 100 refurbished laptops to Goodwill of Southeast Georgia.

It’s part of a nationwide initiative to address those divides through internet accessibility, affordability, and safe adoption. AT&T is committing $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to high-speed internet by 2030.

Marshal said it’s about helping people get jobs, which leads to better jobs, which leads to a career.

“This 100 is a drop in the bucket for what we need to be able to do for our community if we’re really going to give everybody the access necessary to achieve self-sufficiency.”