MeckTech Kits for Mecklenburg County’s Most Vulnerable Population

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, in partnership with Mecklenburg County, made free computers available to 1,400 households using Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding allocated to the county. MeckTech responds directly to the urgent need for digital access in Mecklenburg County, where an estimated 80,000 households don’t have dedicated computers in the home. This is a sobering statistic on a normal day, and a devastating one during a worldwide pandemic where economic opportunity, communication, and health access are quickly navigated online. By leveraging 500,000 dollars in CARES funding, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library was able to close this divide for 1,400 homes in the last quarter of 2020.The MeckTech program showcases a model for meeting the technology challenges of the pandemic in terms of sustainability, economic opportunity, green economies, and digital equity. The Library is working with several key partners including Informative Technologies who is providing Endless OS, an open-source operating system designed specifically for digital novices, City Startup Labs who provides customer support via returning citizens, and eCycleSecure, a local refurbisher, who provisions the hardware and accessories to complement the open-source software. Perhaps most importantly, the Library’s role as program administrator and primary distributor ensures confidence and trust for MeckTech participants.