Bridging the digital divide. That's exactly what E2D,Eliminate the Digital Divide, is doing for hundreds of recent Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools graduates.

"We found out a lot of first generation students that were going to historically Black colleges and universities didn't actually have their own computers," said Pat Millen, E2D President and Co-Founder. "That should never be a reason why people are not successful in college."

Thanks to donations from Google Fiber, Honeywell, Lowe’s, and Truist, 700 refurbished laptops will help 300 students succeed in college.

"A laptop is one of the most important things we know will help lead to success for our students," said Dr. John Oliver, Johnson C. Smith University's Project Manager for Charlotte’s Inclusive Tech-Innovation Project.

Since 2013, E2D has donated more than 48,000 laptops to students across Charlotte. | Photo by CLTtoday

E2D also employs CMS students from Title I schools, trains them, and gives them a head start at life after high school.

Olympic High School senior Aria McKinney was a recipient and an E2D technician. “Receiving this laptop from E2D is a game-changer for me. It means I can fully participate in my classes, conduct research, and stay connected with my professors and peers." Editor's note: McKinney will proudly be attending North Carolina A&T State University this fall.

E2D’s IT Workforce Development program provides students the ability to refurbish laptops and gain transferable skills for life after school. | Photo by CLTtoday

"Since 2013, E2D has provided nearly 48,000 computers since we started," said Millen. Moving forward, E2D will be doing more outreach to North Carolina companies for computers and partnering with the Kramden Institute to provide technology to students across the state.

"We need to get our hands on every computer we can so that we can refurbish them and get them to families, students, and workers that need them. This is about economic development and this is about family prosperity," said Millen.

How can you help? E2D partners with companies across the Carolinas for laptop donations and financial contributions.