FREE tablets via Luray weekend event

Woman in black witch costume holding pumpkin with dollar symbol~ Original photo by A Koolshooter, via Pexels

LURAY, Va – Boost Mobile in Luray is hosting a unique Halloween party on Saturday, October 22, and offering free tablets to those who qualify.

The store, located in the East Luray Shopping Center, is holding the event to educate residents about the government's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

For eligible households, the ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service needed for work, telehealth, virtual education and more. The program, introduced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in late December 2021, provides a long-term, affordable option for high-speed internet service.

According to the official FCC web site, a household is eligible if one member of the household meets at least one of the following criteria as determined by the National Eligibility Verifier: has an income that is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines; participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline; is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program; received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income program.

In addition to promoting the ACP, the Luray Boost Mobile Halloween event will also offer pumpkin painting, games, a costume contest, free snacks/candy, and promotional giveaways from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free tablet promotion is available until 7 p.m. For more information, visit them on Facebook or call (540) 669-5968.

For those unable to attend the Boost Mobile event or those who wish to apply for the government's Affordable Connectivity Program via phone or online, visit www.affordableconnectivity.gov or call the ACP Support Center at (877) 384-2575.

Eligible households must both apply for the program (with supporting documentation) and contact a participating service provider to select a plan. The National Eligibility Verifier, a centralized system established by the FCC and managed by the Universal Service Administration Company, determines ACP program eligibility. For a list of participating service providers in the Page County area, visit www.cnm.universalservice.org and search via ZIP code.