Digitunity

02/03/2026

Hello from the Windy City!
We’re glad to be in Chicago for Net Inclusion 2026, where practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and advocates come together to examine how communities can access and use the internet, own reliable computers, and build the skills needed to fully participate in modern systems and services.

For the 1 in 10 people in the United States who don’t own a computer, everyday tasks like accessing government services, applying for jobs, completing schoolwork, or managing healthcare have become increasingly difficult as more systems move online. Digitunity’s work focuses on addressing this gap by strengthening the systems that support computer ownership, so people aren’t locked out of essential services simply because they lack the right tools.

We’re looking forward to connecting with peers across the field and learning from the work happening on the ground nationwide.

Thank you National Digital Inclusion Alliance for convening the field again this year and creating space for shared learning and connection.

12/24/2025

Over the holiday break, we’re sharing a conversation that looks back at where our work began.

In this interview, Dr. Yvette Marrin reflects on the early moments that sparked a 40-year movement, from a single classroom to a national effort to expand computer ownership. Her story offers a perspective on how change happens and why it still matters.

Watch the interview here:
https://digitunity.org/yvette-marrin-interview/?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=LinkedIn&utm_campaign=Yvette_interview&utm_id=Yvette+Interview

Discover Yvette Marrin’s journey in digital inclusion. Watch her interview and learn how computer ownership transforms lives. 1 in 7 US households...

12/18/2025

Thrilled to share the impact of the 3 Southern States Connected Communities Program! 🎉 Thanks to the incredible collaboration between and , 50 laptops have been deployed to adult education learners in rural Evangeline Parish, Louisiana.
VITA (Lafayette, LA) and teamed up to ensure community members receive the essential tech and support needed to thrive in today's connected world.
Visit VITA’s website :vitalaf.org

digitunity.org/our-programs/3-southern-states-connected-communities-program/
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12/02/2025

On Giving Tuesday, we’re inviting companies to consider a small shift in their annual IT refresh cycle; one that can strengthen local communities in a practical, meaningful way.

Retired laptops and desktops can be securely donated through Digitunity and redirected to trusted community organizations supporting learning, work, and connection.



https://digitunity.org/calling-on-companies-to-help-expand-computer-access-across-the-south/

11/19/2025

We just released a new announcement calling on companies to help expand computer ownership across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Many households in these states still lack a working computer at home, limiting access to education, employment, and essential services. One simple way businesses can make a meaningful difference is by directing retired technology back into their community.

Full announcement here: https://digitunity.newswire.com/news/digitunity-calls-on-companies-to-donate-retired-computers-and-power-22677603

Digitunity Calls on Companies to Donate Retired Computers and Power Opportunity in Their Communities Press Release • Nov 19, 2025 09:00 EST CONWAY, N.H., November 19, 2025 (Newswire.com) - Digitunity, a national nonprofit advancing digital opportunity through computer ownership, is calling on comp...

10/15/2025

Who still doesn’t have a computer?

Despite broadband expansion progress, in 2023 1 in 7 U.S. households (33.2 million people) still lack a large-screen computer.
Digitunity’s latest report, Large-Screen Computer Ownership: A Call to Action, uses previously unpublished Census data to show where and why the digital divide persists, and who it impacts.

*Compared to working-age adults, older adults (65+) are 5x more likely not to have a computer.
*Nearly 1 in 3 adults without a high school diploma do not own a large-screen computer.
*Households in Mississippi are 3x more likely to lack computers than those in Utah.

The data make it clear: affordability remains a central barrier to computer ownership. Addressing device affordability requires collaboration among government, philanthropic, business, and community partners.

Read the report → https://tinyurl.com/Census-Report-2025

09/09/2025

Digitunity is proud to collaborate with AT&T on an initiative to expand digital navigator services and computer ownership in rural communities.
With support from AT&T, this 12-month project will reach 13,200 people across Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana by:

*Delivering digital skills training for 10,500 people
*Providing 2,500 donated and refurbished computers
*Equipping 200 digital navigators with training and resource kits

Digital navigators must have the right resources to be effective. This project aims to strengthen local organizations so they can connect residents to computers, affordable internet, and skills training through partnerships with veterans' services, healthcare providers, and adult education centers.

The collaboration expands access to computers, skills, and connectivity, helping rural communities engage and grow in the digital era. We look forward to sharing stories and lessons along the way!

Read the full announcement here: https://digitunity.newswire.com/news/digitunity-and-at-t-launch-initiative-to-scale-digital-navigator-22631285

ComputerOwnership

08/19/2025

We’re honored to be selected as a 2025 GTIA Charitable Giving Recipient!
Thanks to the support of the Global Technology Industry Association and its members, we’ll be able to expand our work, making computer ownership possible for more people across the country.

08/13/2025

How can rural communities build lasting computer ownership solutions?

Join Digitunity and Dr. Brian Whitacre, Professor at Oklahoma State University, for Sustainable Rural Solutions: Key Strategies for Computer Ownership Ecosystems...a discussion of proven approaches from our latest rural report.

September 10, 2025
1–2 PM ET
🔗 Register now: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pPbvmE1XQnSFl4RaeQ_Ilw #/registration

08/12/2025

Sharing our new Rural Report!

Our new report, Supportive and Sustainable Computer Ecosystems for Rural Communities, authored by Dr. Brian Whitacre (Oklahoma State University), offers key data on computer ownership, 20 actionable takeaways, and proven models to expand computer ownership in rural communities.

Download the report: https://digitunity.org/rural-device-ecosystem-report/?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=LinkedIn&utm_campaign=Rural25&utm_id=Rural+Report+2025

Upcoming webinar with the author coming soon...watch this space for more information!

08/06/2025

Digitunity’s Senior Director of Programs and Strategic Partnerships Karisa Tashjian, will be presenting at the Federal Reserve’s Digital Access Research Forum on September 17 in Kansas City.

The session, “Cultivating Sustainable Computer Ownership Ecosystems in Rural Communities,” will take place on September 17 and will highlight community-based strategies that go beyond broadband, centering computer ownership as a critical component of digital access.

📍 In-person event September 16–18, Kansas City
To learn more and register: https://web.cvent.com/event/cd716fa0-d13f-4b8a-bb0a-09be81f5bb62/summary

08/05/2025

We’ve invested in broadband. But what about the computers people need to get online?

Dr. Amy Gonzales, Associate Professor at UC Santa Barbara, shares what the data reveals and why the internet alone isn’t enough.

Watch the full video interview based on her latest research: https://tinyurl.com/broadband-adoption?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=