WAND—Laptops, internet hotspots provided to Georgetown-Ridge Farm Families

GEORGETOWN, Ill. (WAND) - Families with the Georgetown-Ridge Farm school district were provided with laptops and internet hotspots as part of an Illinois program.

During school registration in August of 2021, Georgetown-Ridge Farm CUSD No. 4 gave out 101 laptops and internet hotspots. Funding for this came from a grant to the University of Illinois Community Data Clinic from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Regional Engagement for Adoption + Digital Equity (READY) program.
The district and Project Success had partnered with the data clinic, the state of Illinois and PCs for People for the program. A press release from Project Success said PCs for People, a national nonprofit, refurbishes computers that are donated by corporations and nonprofits and makes the devices available for families in need.
“Research has shown how uneven economic recovery in Illinois has been since the end of the Great Recession in 2010, with more than a third of Illinois households not earning enough to even cover a basic survival budget,” said Dr. Anita Say Chan, director of the Community Data Clinic at the University of Illinois. “Following COVID, families continue to face challenges because of low wages, sparse savings and the increasing cost of basic household goods and services, including the internet. We are the University of Illinois and the Community Data Clinic are grateful to be part of committed civic partnerships that can help to address the deep need for economic and digital access support for East Central Illinois families.”
Companies and nonprofits wishing to donate computers to PCs for People for refurbishment in Illinois should click here for more information.
See the PDF document attached to this story for further details about the donated laptops.