Post from Community: Digital Bridge to provide thousands of free and low-cost devices to K12 students in Milwaukee | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Digital Bridge
February 7, 2022
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Digital Bridge has been selected as part of a 10-city project led by AT&T and Digitunity to provide more than 2,000 refurbished computers and technology support over the next two years to students and families in Milwaukee.
This project aims to help bridge the digital divide in Milwaukee by providing underserved residents with digital resources and skills training needed for online learning success. Many students across the U.S.  are affected by the digital divide and struggle to participate in online learning opportunities because of unreliable internet access, lack of computers or poor digital literacy skills. This project will help students engage in today’s digital learning environment.
“We are proud to be working with AT&T and Digitunity to help tackle the digital divide head-on in Milwaukee,” said Jeff Hanson, founder and executive director, Digital Bridge. “Through our collaboration we will provide much needed computers and hands-on digital training to help make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable in our community.”
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This project is part of AT&T’s $2 billion commitment to bridge the digital divide from 2021 to 2024 through efforts that promote broadband affordability, accessibility and safe adoption. Digitunity will create alliances among device refurbishing organizations, local nonprofits, and businesses to acquire previously used computers that will be refurbished into like-new devices and distributed to underserved students affected by the digital divide.
“Our commitment to narrowing the digital divide includes ensuring that learners have both the connectivity and the devices critical to success,” said Paul Weirtz, president, AT&T Wisconsin. “Through our work with Digitunity and Digital Bridge, we will be able to help thousands of underserved students and their families in Milwaukee get access to free computers and training resources that are vital for online learning success.”
“Device ownership is foundational to digital equity, and technology reuse is a direct and logical answer to the pervasive challenge of the technology gap,” stated Karisa Tashjian, director of programs,  Digitunity. “Nonprofit technology refurbishers are critical players in their communities for providing people-centered, integrated service delivery systems that equip students and their families with the digital tools and support they need, both today and in the future.”
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About Digital Bridge
Digital Bridge is an organization certified in NAID AAA Computer Hard Drive and Solid State Drive Sanitization and Destruction, and Non-paper Media Destruction whose mission is to refurbish corporate tech donations and distribute them back out to those in need. Digital Bridge offers free electronics recycling and is the only company in the greater Milwaukee area certified to sanitize and reuse hard drives. To learn more, please visit http://digitalbridge.ngo.
About Digitunity
Digitunity, a national nonprofit organization, connects corporate and individual donors of technology to thousands of partner organizations serving people in need across North America. With a proven body of work spanning over 37 years and a national network of member organizations, Digitunity is working to ensure all barriers that limit equitable opportunity to participate in our digitally connected society are removed. Learn more at https://www.digitunity.org or contact Karisa Tashjian at https://links.digitunity.org/10-city-contact-us.
About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
We’re committed to advancing education, creating opportunities, strengthening communities and improving lives. As part of our company-wide $2 billion commitment from 2021-2024 to address the digital divide, we launched AT&T Connected Learning to invest in connectivity, technology, digital literacy, and education solutions to help today’s learners succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Since 2008, we’ve committed more than $600 million to programs that help millions of students across all 50 states and around the world, particularly those in underserved communities.