Refurbished Laptops Distributed to Youth in Regent Park
Free Geek Toronto, in collaboration with Sky's the Limit Youth Organization, delivered 150 laptops to Pathways to Education Canada’s Regent Park location at the start of the 2025 school year.
In low-income communities across Canada, high school dropout rates can be more than double the national average. Pathways to Education offers a variety of educational supports to students in the Regent Park, Moss Park, and Rivertowne neighbourhoods. These include Post-Secondary Coaching, a Homework Club, 1-on-1 personalized tutoring sessions, drop-in appointment-based tutoring, and their Loft Program, which offers a safe place for youth to socialize.
Access to large-screen devices, such as laptops, has a significant impact on education. Personal device ownership provides a unique computing experience that cannot be replicated through public use of computers or shared devices. According to a 2008 study, high school students with computers in the home alsohad an easier time completing school assignments and passing exams. Pathways to Education's program helps increase high school completion rates in neighbourhoods across Canada.
Free Geek Toronto's Technology for Social Change program tackles the dual challenges of unwanted electronic/e-waste and digital inequity by transforming donated technology into accessible, affordable devices. We accept donations of old computers and other devices, securely wiping all data before refurbishing the hardware and installing open-source software. These refurbished computers and devices are then made available at low cost, and in some cases through grants, to individuals and community organizations in need. This not only keeps tech out of landfills but also provides essential tools and skills to those who face barriers to technology access, promoting digital inclusion and a more circular economy in our city.
Sky’s the Limit Youth Organization provides refurbished laptops to youth who need them. They work with community partners to help us identify our recipients. Their partners offer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programming for studentsto expand and heighten their knowledge, skills, and employability. They have placed 4,904 laptops since 2003!
This generous donation was made possible thanks to devices donated by Ernst & Young and funding provided by the Tavares Family Foundation.
