MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Officials in Montgomery County plan to hand out thousands of laptops to low-income residents as part of a program called "Montgomery Connects."
The program, which is run by the County's Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions, will distribute 34,000 laptops at numerous events across the county through July 28.
There is a limit of one computer per address and eligible recipients must live in Maryland but do not need to be U.S. citizens. Officials say the program will prioritize residents 7 and older who have not previously received a computer from the county under a prior program.
The 34,000 Chromebook laptops were purchased through a Maryland Connected Devices grant valued at $7 million.
"Access to a computer is essential for every family, regardless of their income level," said County Executive Marc Elrich. "While children may have access to computers through schools, it is equally vital for parents, working individuals, and college students to have their own computers. The Maryland Connected Devices program has been specifically designed to address this issue and provide low-income families with the tools they need to bridge the digital divide. Although low-income families make up only 21 percent of County households, they represent a significant 60 percent of households without computers. It is our responsibility to ensure that everyone in our community has equal opportunities for success in today's digital age."
Qualifications to receive a computer include:
- Must be enrolled in a benefits program, such as SNAP food benefits, Medicaid (not regular Medicare), free school lunch, WIC, SSI (not regular Social Security), Pell Grants for college students or Housing Choice Vouchers or Project-Based Rental Assistance.
- Must be enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity or Lifeline Internet or telephone discount programs.
- The household must earn less than 200 percent of the Federal poverty rate ($29,160 for a one-person household, $39,440 for a two-person household, $49,720 for a three-person household, $60,000 for a four-person household—and $10,280 for each additional person in the household).
Appointments to receive a computer can be made online at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/computer.
After arranging an appointment to get a computer, eligible residents should bring the following items to their pick-up appointment:
- Photo identification
- Proof of address. If a person is using a Photo ID without an address (such as a passport), they must bring a piece of mail or online bill showing their address.
- Proof of enrollment in a benefits program or proof of income by bringing:
- A SNAP or Medicaid card.
- ACP or Lifeline program on an internet bill.
- Enrollment letter showing the program name, date and notice of eligibility.
- The first page of their income tax return (a W-2 or pay stub cannot be used because a person may have more than one job).
Residents may also qualify for free or discounted internet. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a federal and state program that helps low-income households get internet with a discount of up to $45 per month for home broadband or mobile device plans.
The schedule for upcoming computer distribution events:
- Friday, July 14. 2-6 p.m. McGee Library, 9000 Wayne Ave. Silver Spring
- Tuesday, July 18. Noon-4 p.m. Gaithersburg Library, 18330 Montgomery Village Ave., Gaithersburg
- Wednesday, July 19. Noon-4 p.m. Wheaton American Job Center, 11510 Georgia Ave., Wheaton
- Thursday, July 20. 1-5 p.m. McGee Library, 900 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring
- Saturday, July 22. 11 a.m-3 p.m. Eastern Montgomery Regional Service Center, 3300 Briggs Chaney Rd, Silver Spring
- Tuesday, July 25. Noon-4 p.m. Germantown American Job Center, 12900 Middlebrook Rd., Germantown
- Thursday, July 27. Noon-4 p.m. Aspen Hill Library, 4407 Aspen Hill Rd., Rockville
- Friday, July 28. 2-6 p.m. McGee Library, 9000 Wayne Ave. Silver Spring