If you are searching for a free laptop for your activities, it is possible to get one from various sources. Laptops are expensive devices that are not easily affordable by most people. People from low-income households can find it challenging to acquire laptops, yet they are crucial for their children’s schooling, general family entertainment, and office work. Is there a free laptop near me?
There could be sources of free laptops near you. If you live in an urban center, it is possible to get a free laptop. However, you can still get a free laptop if you reside in a rural area. Borrowing from your friends and relatives can be annoying, especially if they do not seem to help in good faith. Lacking money to purchase one is another nuisance, but today you have nothing to worry about as you will get adequate information about sources of free laptops.
Usually, the federal government assists low-income people in acquiring free devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. The recently launched Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) allows eligible households to acquire highly discounted laptops, desktops, and tablets for their activities. You will learn how to qualify and apply for the ACP program, so stick around.
The trustful ways to get a free laptop near me
If you are searching for a free laptop within your locality, it could be easier than you think. The following are ways you can obtain a free or discounted laptop.
- Through the Affordable Connectivity Program
- Joining a public school
- Via non-governmental organizations
- From your local library
- From friends and relatives.
Now let us discuss each of the above ways in detail so that you can understand how you can go about obtaining one.
i. Affordable Connectivity Program
The ACP program is a federal government assistance program that gives low-income households free broadband service for their internet needs. It provides a discount of at most $30 monthly for internet service for qualifying households and up to $75 monthly for households on eligible Tribal lands. Qualifying households can get a one-time discount of up to about $100 to buy a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet from participating ACP providers if they contribute at least $10 and not more than $50 toward the buying price.
You can see how you can get a laptop through the program; although not completely free, you get a significant discount and add a small amount towards the purchase price as indicated above. On top of that, you get free internet access to online services.
Who qualifies for the ACP program
Knowing whether you qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program is essential. A household qualifies for the ACP program if the gross household income is 200% or below the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
You may also qualify for ACP if you or a household member received a Federal Pell Grant within the current award year or meets the eligibility criteria for an ACP participating service provider’s existing low-income internet program. Additionally, you may qualify if you participate in the following assistance programs.
- Medicaid
- Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program
- SNAP
- School Breakfast Program
- Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program
- Federal Housing Assistance, including:
- Project-Based Rental Assistance
- Affordable Housing Programs for Alaska Natives, American Indians, or Native Hawaiians
- Public Housing
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits
- Lifeline
- WIC
You can also qualify for ACP if you live in Tribal Lands and participate in one of the following assistance programs.
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Tribal TANF
- Tribal Head Start (income based)
Applications for ACP to get a free laptop
To get the enormous laptop discount, you must apply for ACP as long as you qualify. There are three ways you can apply for a free laptop. They include the following.
- Online at AffordableConnectivity.gov and submit the required documents.
- On your service provider’s website
- Via mail by downloading and filling out the application form and attaching the necessary documents, then sending them to the relevant body.
Once your application is successful, you will pay the amount requested by your ACP service provider to get your laptop.
ii. Joining a public or online school
If you are a student searching for a free laptop, you can easily get one if you join a public school that offers free laptops to its students. We have numerous colleges and universities that give their students free laptops to aid their studies. If you join an online school, you might get a free laptop to facilitate your online learning process. Examples of learning institutions that offer free laptops include the following.
- Wake Forest University
- Centenary College
- Bethel University
- Widener University
- Northwest Missouri State University
iii. Non- Governmental Organizations
We have numerous NGOs that offer free laptops to eligible persons. Usually, the NGOs have similar qualifications as those for ACP. If you participate in any assistance program, you will likely get a free laptop if you show the necessary document. Most NGOs allow you to apply online and receive your laptop at your physical address.
Some of the NGOs you can consider for your free laptop include the following.
- With Causes
- World Computer Exchange
- Salvation Army
- The National Cristina Foundation
- PCs for People
- EveryoneOn
- SmartRiverside-California
You may also get a laptop for free from your religious organization. That can be your church, Islamic center, or any other applicable one.
iv. From your local library
Your local library allows you to use their computers for free, whereby you can find desktop and laptop computers. They might even have giveaways; thus, you can check if your nearest library offers a free gadget to help your operations.
v. From your friends and relatives
Your friends and relatives can also give you a free laptop: you can request your parent, sibling, or any other relative to help you with a free laptop. Your friend may also give you a free laptop if you request them.
Bottom line
A laptop is an expensive device that may be challenging to acquire for most people. If you are from a low-income household, you may be unable to purchase a laptop due to the high cost. However, there are ways you can get a free laptop if you qualify. You can get one through the Affordable Connectivity Program, through an NGO, from your local public library, by joining a public or online school, or from friends and relatives.