Last year, Sherburne County was one of 10 communities across the state selected by the Blandin Foundation to be part of the

Blandin Broadband Communities.

 

The program is an intensive, two-year partnership between Blandin Foundation and selected rural Minnesota communities. The program provides planning, technical and financial support to communities that demonstrate the determination to bring the benefits of a broadband-enabled economy to their communities.

 

As part of that program, each member partner received 50 computers from PCs for People to distribute in its community. PCs for People is a non-profit organization that receives donated computers, refurbishes them then provides free or low-cost computers to different organizations and families in need.

 

Tuesday, those computers were distributed to Sherburne County organizations and individuals through the Workforce Center in Monticello.

Ten computers were given to Guardian Angels for the senior community in Elk River.

 

The Sherburne County Fair Board received one and other qualifying individuals who signed up through the Workforce Center received coupons in the mail to receive a computer. 

 

Tuesday, as they arrived between 3 p.m and 6 p.m., they had a choice between a Hewlett Packard or Dell PC system, complete with tower, monitor, keyboard and mouse.

 

Sherburne County also recently donated 75 used desktop computers and 50 laptops to PCs for People to refurbish and distribute.

 

The company works through schools and workforce centers and periodically holds distribution events like the one held Tuesday.

 

PCs for People was founded in 1998 in Mankato, MN. Since that time the organization has distributed over 20,000 computers.