North Yorkshire County Council is offering to refurbish donated laptops and give them to needy children and adults during lockdown.
The Reboot North Yorkshire scheme, which was announced today, will enable children without digital devices to study from home.
It will also connect socially isolated adults to family and friends.
Businesses and people can bring devices to drop-off points in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, Masham Community Office or Nidderdale Plus libraries.
Laptop donations have been received already from Harrogate firm Bettys & Taylors and social housing provider Beyond Housing.
Cllr David Chance, North Yorkshire’s executive member for stronger communities, said:
“Perhaps you have an old laptop collecting dust, or an unused tablet hiding in the bottom of a drawer? Or maybe you received a new device for Christmas and you don’t know what to do with your old device.
“Donating any unwanted devices in good working order will make a huge difference to people in our communities who may not be fortunate to have sufficient IT access.”
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Last month, Howard Conrad Apple repair shop in Harrogate launched a similar appeal for faulty iPads that will be refurbished and given to local school children.
Tom James, owner of the shop on Leeds Road, was spurred to act after reading news reports about parents not having the technology for children to study from home during lockdown.
The shop has an agreement to donate iPads to Red Kite Learning Trust, a charity that operates several schools in the district, including Harrogate Grammar School, Western Primary School and Rossett Acre Primary School.