ELIMINATING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN THE CAROLINAS

WHAT IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE?

The digital divide is the opportunity gap between those who have ready-access to computers and the internet, and those who do not. In this day and age, one cannot prosper without full access to online resources.

WHAT DOES E2D DO?

E2D collects used laptops from generous corporations, refurbishes them in student-led technology labs, and distributes them to student families who don't have a computer at home.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

As with most non-profit enterprises, financial support is a critical element of our operations. However, first and foremost, we need laptops! If your company retires its used laptops, please ask your IT department to donate them to E2D. We will pick them up, take them to our lab, refurbish them and redistribute them to families in our community with distinct needs.  
 
By donating used corporate laptops to E2D, you will be in good company with 78 other corporate donors that have made eliminating the digital divide a priority.

FEATURED RELATIONSHIP

In the Spring of 2021, Bank of America approached E2D to collaborate on a MASSIVE donation to the families of CMS students – 10,000 brand new, in the box, Chromebooks! This nearly $6 Million gift for Charlotte families has been truly extraordinary and we were delighted to play a significant role in preparing and distributing them into communities with need. 

With the support of Bank of America employees and volunteers, we participated in 3 distribution days this Summer. Select CMS Title 1 school families were invited to attend those distributions to receive a free Bank of America Chromebook. We are proud to say that all 10,000 Chromebooks have been deployed to CMS Title 1 schools.

OUR CHALLENGE

There are still an estimated 26,000 households in Mecklenburg County that lack home-based, connected computers. This number is well over 150,000 for the entire State of North Carolina. 

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Our Vision:

• Every home must have a computer in it.

• Every home must have access to fast, reliable, and affordable digital broadband.

• Every person in the home needs to know how to use these devices effectively to be successful in school and in jobs, raising their family’s productivity and prosperity.

OUR SOLUTIONS

Our ability to maximize impact in the community is only as strong as our collaborations with many partners:

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• Corporations that provide the supply of laptops

• CMS: most of our distributions happen through the school system, which identifies the families in need.

• Community organizations that provide digital literacy training, affordable broadband access, and tech support.

FUTURE

NORTH CAROLINA AND BEYOND

E2D initially focused on the digital divide in Davidson NC, and resolved that gap completely. Since then we quickly expanded to the greater Charlotte Region and have helped our community shrink its digital gap from 30%+ to less than 8%. There is still much work to be done in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, but we are also now committed to tackling the digital divide throughout the Carolinas. Our model has succeeded effectively and we are thrilled to continue to expand the footprint of our work.