By Lauren Proudfoot
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
More than 200 laptops and 50 mobile hotspots were donated to 11 local nonprofit organizations on the Eastern Shore, Gov. Larry Hogan announced yesterday.
Laptops and hotspots were distributed to hard-to-reach areas in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties, according to the news release. This donation was made possible by partnering with the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives (GOCI). With a different partnership with the nonprofit “PCs for People,” the Department of General Services (DGS) has received and donated over 4,000 computers to date.
“The donation of these laptops and this innovative partnership are helping us to fully address the digital divide for everyone all across our state,” Hogan said. “It is another shining example that we aren’t just committed to fully recovering from the pandemic, but by working together, we are committed to coming back even stronger and better than ever before.”
This donation helps address the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern technology and communications, also known as the “digital divide,” happening in Maryland and more specifically eastern shore counties, according to Hogan.
“The COVID-19 pandemic really illustrated for us very vividly just how critical a lifeline that high-speed internet access is to our lives and our livelihoods, whether it’s for school, for work, for telehealth or just staying in touch with our families,” Hogan said during a livestream announcement Wednesday.
Nick Cavey, the director of public information under DGS, did not return an email seeking comment.
Maryland has been ranked the nation’s most improved state for business because of its commitment to universal broadband (high-speed internet access), according to the news release.
In August, Hogan released “Connect Maryland,” a new initiative to supercharge the states broadband investment with $400 million to expand broadband access to every corner of Maryland.