City of Pittsburgh & Computer Reach Partner to End Digital Divide

Thanks to an initial donation of over $92,000 worth of IT equipment from the City of Pittsburgh, Computer Reach will have 324 desktop computers, 74 laptops, and more ready to be refurbished and distributed to individuals and families who need them.

A Partnership to Bridge the Digital Divide

On August 29, 2022, the City of Pittsburgh officially announced its partnership with Computer Reach to end the digital divide in Pittsburgh. The City successfully donated:

• 324 desktop computers,
• 74 laptop computers,
• 427 monitors,
• 243 keyboards,
• and 170 mice

to Computer Reach, totaling over 1,200 individual pieces of equipment. These devices, which are worth over $92,000, will be refurbished and distributed to individuals and families who need a computer.

Heidi Norman, Director of the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Innovation and Performance, said that the department is “laser-focused on ensuring innovation and technological excellence are at the forefront of Pittsburgh’s future.” Norman continued, stating that this partnership is “but one aspect of the City’s commitment to close the digital divide and promote increased digital literacy in Pittsburgh.”

This partnership is also a positive step towards sustainability and reducing the amount of e-waste produced in the United States. “A reused computer is so much more valuable than one that is just disposed of in a landfill,” said our Executive Director Dave Sevick. “It is one less chip to be made, one less rare metal to mine, and one more opportunity for a person to get connected to the world.”

Our nonprofit organization is thankful to the City of Pittsburgh for their commitment to ending the digital divide and we look forward to getting these devices back into the hands of communities in need.

More Information

For more information, read the full press release from the City of Pittsburgh. For more tech stories, visit our News page!