AT&T, Compudopt provide 150 laptops and backpacks to Mesa students

AT&T and Compudopt provided 150 refurbished laptops and backpacks stuffed with school supplies to A New Leaf on July 26 to distribute to Mesa students in need.

The distribution is part of a broader AT&T employee effort to help bridge the digital divide and equip 20,000 students across the country with laptops and backpacks before they head back to school. The backpacks will include supplies like notebooks, pencils and headphones, as well as cards of encouragement written by AT&T employees, according to a release.

“AT&T is proud to collaborate with organizations like Compudopt and A New Leaf to help close the digital equity gap in Mesa,” James Christian, AT&T desert states director, said in the release. “Connectivity is vital for students, and we’re glad we can help provide the tools they need to excel in school.”

In Arizona, it’s estimated that 11% of households don’t have access to the internet or connected devices needed to fully participate in the online world, an issue known as the digital divide.

This effort is part of the AT&T Connected Learning initiative to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability and safe adoption. AT&T is committing $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to high-speed internet by 2030.

Go to https://about.att.com/pages/digital-divide .