Guest Commentator: Joseph Divis, Interim President, AT&T New Jersey and AVP, AT&T External Affairs @ATT
How can expanding technology access and education support Greater Philadelphia’s inclusive recovery?
It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every aspect of life for the city and region. The effects continue to be felt and will be for some time to come.
Over the past year, one thing has been made certain: connectivity is crucial. What we quickly realized was that not everyone had access to a reliable internet connection for the new virtual and remote demands. We also came to recognize that many families and residents need access to devices. As people stay home, individuals without broadband connectivity and/or access to devices lack the tools they need to get essential services, learn, work, and connect with families and friends.
To help Philadelphia residents in need of devices, AT&T was proud to join with the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Innovation and Technology and others to launch PHLDonateTech, an initiative calling on residents and businesses to donate, recycle, and provide computers to families and people in need across Philadelphia. The campaign requests donations of laptops and desktops in fair or good condition. Retrievr, NerdiT Foundation, the Electronic Access Foundation (EAF), and the Computer Recycling Center of Temple University are handling the pickup and refurbishment. There is contactless pickup and donors can receive a certificate that the industry’s data security and refurbishment standards are being followed.
Chamber members and individuals can donate laptops and computers they no longer need to PHLDonateTech, or they can make a monetary donation dedicated to PHLDonateTech via the Mayor’s Fund for Philadelphia. AT&T is a member of the city’s Digital Literacy Alliance, which is coordinating the device initiative and overseeing the distribution of contributions which support it.
Since its launch last December, hundreds of devices have been collected, refurbished, and distributed. However, the need of families and individuals for working devices continues – and will for some time.
As a public-private partnership, PHLDonateTech aligns with the Chamber’s Recharge & Recovery PHL initiative, which aims to accelerate Greater Philadelphia’s pandemic recovery and address systemic inequalities that exist in the community, and the ongoing Roadmap for Growth efforts.
Check out PHLDonateTech and consider supporting it through device donations or a contribution.
Through Recharge & Recover PHL, the Chamber is working with our members to make Greater Philadelphia a digital community with increased digital literacy, technology, and internet use.
This objective is part of five aspirations of Recharge & Recover PHL with the aim to support not only Greater Philadelphia’s recovery but to also provide a means to differentiate our region for decades to come.
