Grant funding pushes to close digital divide for Crisfield community with free laptop giveaway
CRISFIELD, Md.- New beginnings lied in boxes for the citizens of Crisfield that will allow them to become connected to the digital world with a free laptop. It’s all thanks to the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband. “You’re thinking you’re just doing something good by giving away free stuff, but you don’t have any idea how much it means to people,” Crisfield City Councilwoman Laverne Johnson said.
It’s a collaboration between the Somerset County Library and The City of Crisfield. Qualifying families were able to get their hands on one of 200 HP Chromebook 14’s. We’re told those laptops retail at just over $300.
Councilwoman Johnson said those savings are crucial for their youngest learners. “Sometimes students have access to laptops and computers at school but in the summertime they don’t,” she said.
Wednesday’s distribution wasn’t the first, as 500 laptops were given out over the summer. Students won’t be the only ones to benefit from the gadgets as Library Director Ed Goyda explained. “We see everyone from people who have very high-tech skills and coming in to do designs on the 3D printer to people who don’t know how to use a mouse,” Goyda said.
Goyda says getting families one step closer to being connected to the internet doesn’t just bring them to the 21st century but improves their quality of life. “Most job applications are internet only at this point, there’s no more paper applications. A lot of social services and government services are going the same way,” he said.
People are able to stay connected with the library even after they receive their devices as they offer hourly tech help sessions four times a week.
Another distribution is scheduled at the library Thursday, December 21st from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The library is located at 100 Collins St.
To qualify, families must already be receiving some form of government assistance or be a part of a public housing program.
The distribution is on a first-come, first-served basis with one laptop available per household.
