A laptop is a portable computer that lets you perform various activities such as typing documents, accessing online services using the internet, creating spreadsheets for data entry, and entertainment, among other uses. To purchase a laptop, you must spend a lot of money. People from low-income households cannot afford laptops, yet they require them. In the modern world, there is a need for every household to have a computer. We shall see how you can get free laptops in Washington, DC.
Washington, DC, is among the major cities of the United States. It was formally the District of Columbia but has taken the name Washington DC. The city is the capital city and federal district of the US. According to the 2020 census, the city had around 712,816 people. Among them are those from low-income families who struggle to acquire basic needs. Such people require help to get laptop computers, among other things.
Various uses of laptop computers make them necessary to have in your home. First of all, the devices are helpful for college students as it allows them to research various issues in school. Some colleges require every student to have a laptop when joining the institutions. You also need a laptop computer to make money by working online. Nowadays, you do not have to travel to an office as companies realize the need to work from home. It saves them lots of money that could have been used to rent offices.
Best Ways to get free laptops in Washington DC
If you live in Washington, DC, and cannot afford a laptop, there are various ways to get a free one. They include the following.
i. Through the Affordable Connectivity Program
Suppose you qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). In that case, you can get a free laptop through the discount offered by the assistance program. The Affordable Connectivity program gives qualifying households a discount of $100 to buy a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. To get the discount, you must pay between $10-$50 toward the buying price of the device. You can obtain a low-cost laptop through your service provider with a discount. Moreover, you will get free broadband courtesy of ACP for various online services.
You must qualify for ACP to get the various benefits from the assistance program. You can qualify if your household income is 200% or below the Federal Poverty Guidelines. When applying, you must present various documents to prove that you qualify for ACP by income. Some of the documents you can bring include the following.
- Prior year’s federal, state, or Tribal tax return
- Latest income statement from your current employer or a paycheck stub
- Veterans Administration statement of benefits
- Unemployment/Workers’ Compensation statement of benefits
- Federal/Tribal notice letter of participation in General Assistance
- Child support award, divorce decree, or any other official document with income information
Moreover, one can qualify for ACP through specific government assistance programs, including the following.
- Medicaid
- SNAP
- School Breakfast Program: includes US Department of Agriculture Community Eligibility WIC
- Programs for Alaska Natives, American Indians, or Native Hawaiians
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Federal Housing Assistance, including Housing Choice Voucher Program, Public Housing, Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/Section 202/ Section 811, and Affordable Housing Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program
- Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits
- Provision schools.
You must also prove that you participate in a particular assistance program. In such a case, you can bring supportive documents such as;
- Benefits verification letter
- Benefit award letter
- Statement of benefits
- Approval letter.
How to apply for ACP Program
You must apply for the ACP Program to get a free laptop. There are three main ways you can apply for the program. First, you can apply for ACP online by visiting your service provider participating in ACP. You then provide the information needed to pass the approval. Online application through your service provider might be easier than other application methods.
Secondly, you can apply for the program through the mail by downloading the ACP application form and filling out the necessary details, attaching the required documents, and sending them to ACP Support Center PO Box 7081. London, KY 40742. After your successful application, you will receive a message requiring you to choose your service provider.
You can also apply online by visiting AffordableConnectivity.gov and providing details such as your Identification document, Social security Number, email address, phone number, and physical address. Once your application succeeds, you must choose your service provider who will give you a government discount to purchase a laptop.
ii. Through a non-governmental organization to get free laptops in DC
Various NGOs give free laptops to low-income households upon application. The organizations run various checks depending on your details to see if you qualify for a free laptop. You should also provide a document proving low-income. You may qualify for a free laptop from an NGO if your household income is low or if you participate in specific government assistance programs as it is with ACP. These include the Supplemental Security Income (SSI), WIC, Medicaid, Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits, SNAP, etc.
Examples of nongovernmental organizations offering free laptops include the following.
- With Causes
- Computer Aid International
- World Computer Exchange
- Compudopt
- Computers with Causes
Most nongovernmental organizations allow you to apply for a free laptop online, making the process easy.
iii. Enroll in an online college.
You can obtain a free laptop if you successfully enroll in an online college offering free computers to students. Such colleges offer laptops to make it easy for students to interact with lectures online through video and conference calls. Examples of online colleges offering free laptops include the following.
- American National University
- Wake Forest University
- The University of Minnesota Crookston
- Full Sail University
- Dakota State University
- Moravian University
Bottom line
A laptop is an essential machine in modern-day life as it allows you to perform various tasks such as typing documents, accessing services online, entertainment, research, etc. The device is costly, and most people may need help to afford them if they reside in Washington DC or any other place in the US. You can get a free laptop from various sources, such as the Affordable Connectivity Program, online colleges, or nongovernmental organizations.