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Christmas came early last week for about 50 area residents-- who now have access to a computer and can become part of a world where searching for employment, getting healthcare or doing schoolwork is nearly impossible without an Internet connection.

The non-profit organization “PCs for People” held a computer equipment distribution at North Branch Library,  August 26 funded by the Blandin Foundation.  

PCs for People worked with local programs like RISE and Family Pathways for example,  and  the county HRA/EDA and its Broadband committee, and Pine Technical College’s employment and training center to make this happen.  

Basic training on computer use and set-up was offered inside the North Branch Library Community Room.  Then everybody filed out to the parking lot where the equipment was distributed under a portable white canopy.

PCs for People is headquartered in St Paul.  There are also Minnesota offices in Mankato, Brainerd and Grand Rapids.  It sprang from a program that Blue Earth County first put together in 1998 to get computer equipment into the homes of low income qualifying families,   and now it is a non-profit operating in a few states.  

The organization distributed 8,500 computers overall last year, according to remarks by a PCs for People official at the North Branch event.

The equipment presented last week was free. The Blandin Foundation provided funds as a grant,  tied to the county’s involvement in a Blandin-led Broadband Access Initiative.   Ordinarily the PCs for People hardware/software packages are available at $30 to $50 for a desk model or from $80 on-up for laptops.  

PCs for People refurbishes the equipment and installs various useful software programs like Wikipedia, and wordprocessing and financial spreadsheets.  The package provides flatscreen monitor, cords, mouse and keyboard. The client also gets information on low income Internet access subscriptions  offered by CenturyLink and MidContinent providers.  To ask about these income-sensitive services, which aren’t widely advertised, the official said,  refer to “LifeLine”  from MidContinent,  or “Internet Basics” if looking for services through CenturyLink.

The Pine Technical  College representatives also explained various websites and what’s accessible on the computer to assist in writing resumes, search for job skills training opportunities, and websites for furthering education.

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If you’d like to learn more about PCs for People or if you have computers that may be acceptable as a donation, call 651-345-2552.  Eligible recipients of equipment are folks enrolled in Head Start or assistance programs, etc. and meet income guidelines, starting at $25,540 for a single person household.

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