Illinois Announces Statewide Network to Deploy Computer Devices for Low-Income Residents Across the State

Gov JB Pritzker (D-IL) and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced a first of its kind initiative in Illinois to expand digital access for low-income households throughout the state. Through a unique partnership with PCs for People, a national nonprofit providing refurbished devices, Cook County, and numerous other community partners, the State of Illinois will launch a statewide network to deploy refurbished computers, digital literacy programming and workforce development. The new Connect Illinois Computer Equity Network aims to put computers and other mobile devices into the hands of Illinois residents - assisting more families with access to high speed internet that is essential for e-learning, remote work, telehealth, and more.

To further expand digital access across the state, Gov Pritzker issued call to action to public, private, and philanthropic sectors to donate used equipment and build on a network already set to deploy at least 20,000 refurbished computers annually for Illinois families. The statewide network will include two central warehouse locations - one in southern Cook County and the other in the Metro East Region. Each centralized warehouse location will receive, refurbish, and redistribute computers for use by low-income households around the state. While the Metro East hub has been active since September, a new lease agreement with Cook County will allow PCs for People and the state to launch the second warehouse center in Jan 2021.