NEW ORLEANS – Virtual learning just got a little easier for dozens of local students. Non-profit Comp-U-Dopt, in partnership with the City of New Orleans, JP Morgan Chase, Repurpose, United Teachers of New Orleans, and First Grace United Methodist Church donated 50 repurposed computers to local families in need.

The families who received these computers were selected by a lottery through Comp-U-Dopt. The non-profit has repurposed and donated more than 15,000 computers to families across the country, as students continue to learn virtually through the pandemic. About 83% of the computer recipients are living in households that make less than $50,000 annually with more than four people living in the home.

“Mayor Cantrell consistently puts equity at the forefront of all of the work we do to improve the lives of our residents, and we see this particularly vital when it comes to digital equity. This pandemic amplifies the need for equitable access, particularly as so many of our residents are challenged to adapt to distance learning,” said Kimberly W. LaGrue, Chief Information Officer with the City of New Orleans.

Comp-U-Dopt pulls lottery recipients randomly based on the computers they have available, then selected families can RSVP for a date and time to pick up their computer at one of the distribution sites.

The next lottery is happening Jan. 8 and 9. Parents can register here.