Bridging Tech is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, one which Margot Bellon and Isabel Wang, two Stanford University undergraduates founded in 2020. The motivation was bridging the digital divide across the United States, and making technology accessible for K-12 students affected by homelessness and housing insecurity. Through working for equitable access to tech their efforts help: (1) address social justice, (2) increase access to education, (3) and eliminate barriers to entry in today's economy. A California-based nonprofit, Bridging Tech is largely volunteer-run, and delivers personal, permanent laptops for learning and enriching educational programs to children affected by homelessness. Central to Bridging Tech's model is partnering with homeless shelters and nonprofit partners presently based in cities with higher rates of housing insecurity (such as Brooklyn, NY).
Homeless serving organizations such as our partners, The Coalition For The Homeless (NY), are the core, as experts in their community's needs and strengths. The Bridging Tech team addresses each shelter partner's need for hassle-free distribution of laptops (and other tech tools) and offers ongoing support to students. To qualify for device donations individuals are confirmed to be in need of access to digital tools for learning by our shelter partners. Homelessness affects families of all kinds, but the majority of Bridging Tech's participants are Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), inclusive of people seeking asylum, and single parent families. Efforts to address the digital divide have yielded big gains. As of 2024, at least 6,000 personal computing devices have been donated through Bridging tech's efforts to students nationwide.
Join us in completing the one-of-a kind Brooklyn Half Marathon on April 28th, 2024. You'll run in the race and help Bridging Tech grow through fundraising and friendraising, both of which are vital to Bridging Tech's future!
