Through a grant from the State of Maryland's Connected Devices Program, Baltimore City received 30,000 Chromebooks, Distributed them to Low-Income Households

Baltimore City will distribute 30,000 free Chromebooks to eligible Baltimore City households. The Chromebooks were secured through a grant from the State of Maryland’s Connected Devices program, which is overseen by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and assists counties and municipal governments in their digital equity and inclusion efforts. Baltimore City Information & Technology’s (BCIT) Office of Broadband & Digital Equity (BDE) has partnered with Enoch Pratt Free Library to serve as the City’s primary distribution partner. In this role, Pratt Library will assist residents in verifying their eligibility and scheduling a pickup appointment at either its Central Library or Southeast Anchor Library locations. More distribution locations are expected to be added in the coming months. “Closing the digital divide is one of the most important steps our community must take to improve equity in our city,” said Mayor Brandon Scott (D). “So much of the battle in addressing this issue is access and affordability, and with these 30,000 Chromebooks, our city is poised to help tackle both for so many families. With this technology, we can help these families be better connected and ensure students are gaining the skills they’ll need to be successful in the digital age. I cannot thank our partners enough for their collaboration in this effort and their dedication to closing Baltimore’s digital divide for good.”