Laptops and PCs are among the necessary gadgets required for every person to stay updated with the rapidly growing digital world. It is not only the medium of communication or entertainment but also brings enormous opportunities for jobs, education, and skill development to stay updated with the world. That’s why every person from a low-wage household searches for a method to get a free laptop for low income families.
Buying a laptop or PC for a low-income earner is not easy as a laptop comes around $400 to $500, and if you belong to a low-income family or your income is low, you can not afford a good one. What if we have a trick of getting a free laptop for low-income families? In this article, we have gathered valuable information about some government, non-government, and non-profit organizations and programs that provide free laptops for low-income families.
Is It Really Possible to Get a Free Laptop for Low-Income Families?
The federal government has organized the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), in which all low-income households can get free laptops and internet services from the government. To get this, you have to qualify for the ACP program.
However, there are more government programs like Computers for Kids, World Computer Exchange, Everyone On, Laptops for Learning, PCs for People, etc., that also provide free laptops for low-income families and students.
How to get a Free Laptop for low-income families?
Go through these ways to find out how to get a free laptop for low-income families:
1. Through government assistance programs for low-wage households.
The federal government has organized many assistance programs to bridge the digital gap and help low-wage households so that they can also take advantage of gadgets like laptops and PCs. Many government programs like ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program), One Laptop per Child, Laptops for Learning, Accelerated School program, and E-Rate provide free laptops for low-income families.
2. Through Non-profit organizations
However, the government has links with non-profit organizations for the welfare of citizens. And, those people from low-wage households who can’t get free laptops directly from the government can receive free laptops from these non-profit organizations.
3. Through Scholarships
Some schools, colleges, and universities offer free laptops to students who qualify for laptop scholarships or belong to low-income households. To know more about this, Go to your school’s or college’s help desk and ask for the availability of Laptop scholarships. Many schools have already provided free laptops for low-income families. Check whether your school offers a free laptop for low-income families or not.
4. Through giveaways
Various brands organize free giveaway contests for the promotion of their brands, where they offer free laptops to the people who participate in these giveaway contests.
5. Through Charities
Some non-government organizations and churches offer free refurbished laptops to low-wage families who can’t afford laptops for themselves. You have to contact them and give some proof indicating your low income to claim a free laptop from them.
6. Through organizations that provide free laptops to people with disabilities
Many organizations provide free laptops to persons with disabilities. Some of them are: Connect All initiative, Human-IT, etc. They got some funds from the government to help people. Thus, they provide free repaired or refurbished laptops to people with disabilities.
How to apply for ACP-free laptops for low-income families?
Follow these steps to check the application process for ACP-free laptops for low-income families:
Step 1: Check whether you are qualifying for ACP or not.
Step 2: After meeting your eligibility criteria, go to the official website of your service provider offering you a free laptop under the ACP scheme.
Step 3: Provide your information and fill out the form.
Step 4: Upload all the required documents.
Step 5: Review your application and submit it.
Step 6: Wait for the approval.
Step 7: You will receive a free laptop from the government after the approval of the application.
1. Eligibility criteria
There are two ways to qualify for the ACP laptop scheme and get a free government laptop:
- Income-based qualification: For this, your household income should be less than or equal to 200 % of federal poverty guidelines.
- Program-based qualification: For this, you have to participate in any of these government assistance programs: SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Medicaid, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, etc.
- After this, you have to collect all the required documents and apply for the application of ACP free government laptops.
2. Documents required
The documents that prove residency, social status, income status, and validation while applying for the ACP-free laptop for low-income families are:
- Federal, state, or tribal tax return of last year.
- Recent Income statement or Paycheck Stub from your employer.
- Child support or any other document representing the source of income.
- Government approval letter.
- Benefit award letter.
- Statement of benefits
- Date of birth certificate.
- Green Card or Permanent Resident Card. Certificate of United States Citizenship or Naturalization.
- Valid government state, military, or tribal ID.
- ITIN ( Individual Taxpayer Identification Number).
- Passport.
- Utility bill.
- United States Driver’s License.
Programs that offer free laptops for low-income families
Many other programs and organizations offer free laptops for low-income families to make their lives comfortable and bridge the digital gap. Some of them are listed below:
1. Computers With Causes
Computers With Causes is also a free laptop program that provides needy people with free laptops, computers, PCs, and tablets. They mainly focus on students, teachers, senior citizens, veterans, and low-income earners struggling to buy a laptop or PC.
Here, one has to fill out the form and explain one needs. They will check your income status and need for a laptop or computer, and if they find it genuine, they will offer a free laptop or a computer.
2. Laptops 4 Learning
Laptops 4 Learning is one of the helpful non-profit organizations that collaborated with the federal government and uses government funds to provide free laptops to students who belong to low-income families. Their main motive is to bridge the digital and financial gap between high-income and low-income family students.
3. Everyone On
Everyone On is a public welfare program started in 2012 for the welfare of poor people. Earlier, they provided free internet services to people who couldn’t afford these services, but now they are also providing free laptops and tablets to low-income families.
This program is currently active in more than 50 states and has offered more than 6000 computers. To qualify for this program, visit their official website, check the eligibility criteria representing your low-income status, provide your zip code and other information, and submit the application.
4. PCs for People
PCs for People (PCP) is a non-profit organization that provides free laptops and PCs to qualified low-income family members. The qualification criteria of this NGO are: your income should be equal to or less than 200% of federal poverty guidelines. You can also qualify if you or your family member is disabled or a social welfare agency worker.
5. Computer for Kids
Computer for Kids is a non-profit organization in South California that provides free laptops to low-income families and students. This organization accepts used or damaged computers and laptops as donations, recycles and repairs them, and then distributes them among low-income family kids, school students, underprivileged youngsters, and K-12 grade students. This organization has delivered over 50,000 computers to different educational institutes and organizations for the betterment and bright future of low-income family kids.
6. World Computer Exchange
World Computer Exchange provides heavily discounted laptops and computers in bulk to different non-profit and non-government organizations that are helping low-income families with free laptop services. WCE also provides one-year support to their shipped computers and laptops. To order laptops from WCE for your NGO, you Fill out their form and provide basic information about your organization, its donations, and your budget and requirements.
7. SmartRiverside
SmartRiverside is one of the famous government programs offering heavily discounted laptops, computers, and tablets to needy and low-wage families. They accept donations and recycle laptops and computers from e-waste and distribute them to low-income families for just $100. They have provided laptops and PCs to more than 7000 families.
8. One Laptop per Child
One Laptop per Child, also known as OLPC, is a non-profit government program that offers laptops to school students for just $100 who belong to low-income families. The motive of this program is to reduce the literacy rate by providing digital education facilities to poor students.
9. Accelerated School Program Courses
There are various accelerated program courses in which students can take admission according to their fields. Under these program courses, low-income family students can borrow a free laptop from their school or university to study. For this, they have to deposit $100 as security, And when they submit their free laptop to the school, the amount of $100 will refunded to them.
FAQs
1. How many free laptops can one family get from the government?
Each family can get one free laptop from the government.
2. What if our free laptop is broken or damaged?
You can replace your broken or damaged laptop by contacting your laptop provider.
3. What are other non-profit programs and organizations offering free laptops?
Interconnection, Angie’s Angel Help Network, Salvation Army, and the Digitunity are some other programs and organizations that offer free laptops to low-income families.
4. How to apply for the free laptop application to non-government organizations?
You have to visit the official website of your laptop provider organization and apply for the application of Free laptops.
5. How many days do I have to wait for the free laptop?
You can receive a free laptop within 7 to 10 business days after the approval of the application.
Conclusion
Thanks to the government for such a brilliant effort of providing a free laptop for low-income families through their assistance, non-government or non-profit organizations, and programs to bridge the digital divide and help people who want to use technology but somehow are inadequate for that. If you or anybody you know is still without a laptop, apply for the application and get your free laptop today.