TERRA & Digitunity Bolster Philadelphia's Digital Equity Efforts

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Sep 28, 2021, 07:30 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Even before the pandemic, 9 percent of Philadelphia households did not have a computer, laptop or other internet connected device. In 2020, the Mayor's Fund for Philadelphia launched the PHLDonateTech program which accepts donated computers and tablets for families and people in need across the city.

Today, PHLDonateTech is announcing a new partnership with TERRA's Done with IT program and Digitunity to collect, refurbish, and return even more devices to Philadelphia residents. Done with IT offers a convenient, secure, mail-in option for laptops and tablets. The shipping and refurbishment costs for the first 400 mail-in orders are being sponsored by Santander Bank.

"There are enough retired devices to close the digital divide," said Steven Napoli, President & CEO of TERRA. "The process of getting them into the right hands just needs to be made simple and secure, and that's what we've done."

Philadelphia area residents (within a 50-mile radius of the city) can visit the PHLDonateTech page at Done with IT to request a FREE shipping label. Each label provides for up to 10 lbs. of laptops and/or tablets in good condition to be returned. (No broken and/or outdated equipment is accepted, and chargers and other peripherals are requested.).

"Everyone who needs a computer should have one, and technology reuse is such an important part of the solution," says Scot Henley, Executive Director of Digitunity. "We are proud to support this effort to ensure individuals and families have access to high quality no-cost or low-cost devices that otherwise may not be within reach."

To protect the personal data of individuals that send in their equipment, all hard drives and other storage media are either wiped and/or physically destroyed by Magnum Computer Recycling (a R2 Certified e-waste recycling and ITAD service provider) before they are refurbished and returned to service by the Electronic Access Foundation (EAF).

"We are looking forward to replicating this joint program with Digitunity in more cities across the country," Napoli added.

TERRA & Done with IT
TERRA is dedicated to diverting used electronics to the care of Certified Recyclers to maximize reuse and the recycling of natural resources.
www.jointerra.org / www.donewithit.org

Digitunity
The mission of Digitunity is to eliminate the technology gap, through and with a network of stakeholders and solutions, so that everyone can thrive in a digitally connected society.
www.digitunity.org

SOURCE TERRA