Operation Lemonade Combats Digital Inequity

The pandemic highlighted many societal inequities, including the digital divide that exists among students. To combat that, a group of Manchester organizations and financial institutions joined to close the tech divide among Manchester students who come from low- to middle-income families.

Manchester Proud, the National Collaborative for Digital Equity and Southern NH University established Operation Lemonade and, after consulting with the Manchester School District on students’ need for computers for remote learning, reached out to local financial institutions for help.

So far, the effort has raised $120,000 to purchase 440 devices with contributions from Bank of America, Bangor Savings Bank, Bar Harbor Bank and Trust, Bellwether Community Credit Union, Citizen’s Bank, Eastern Bank, People’s United Bank, and Service Credit Union. The laptops were distributed to students in need throughout the Manchester School District.

For more information, visit digitalequity.us/initiatives/operation-lemonade.