Cvent Works to Bridge Digital Divide by Donating Laptops to Communities in Need

Cvent and KindWorks will work together to refurbish and donate hundreds of devices

Tysons, VA (March 29, 2022) – Cvent (Nasdaq: CVT), a market-leading meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider, today announced that it will partner with KindWorks’ Digital Empowerment Initiative to responsibly rehome and refurbish hundreds of laptops. KindWorks, a non-profit program that collects and refurbishes used computers, will ensure the devices are given to students and families in need.

On April 4th, KindWorks will send volunteers to Cvent’s Tysons, VA headquarters, where nearly 400 laptops will be refurbished on-site before being distributed to where they are most needed. In addition to providing the laptops, Cvent has committed to supplying space for volunteers to work and reconfigure the devices, as well as tools for the computers’ refurbishment.

“Refurbishing and repurposing these laptops for personal use reflects our longstanding commitment to empowering people to connect through technology,” said Cvent Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer Pradeep Mannakkara. “In this digital age, a personal computer can be a vital tool in expanding the opportunity and imagination for individuals and their families. We are thrilled to be able to partner with KindWorks to find a home for these laptops and ensure more people can access the resources and tools they need to accomplish their life goals, both now and in the future.”

“Cvent is going the extra mile to safely donate digital tools that so many other individuals and organizations just throw out. These kinds of corporate partnerships are critical for Kindworks because they enable us to deliver laptops and other electronics to help so many people in our community live and thrive in the digital age and achieve their dreams,” said KindWorks Executive Director, Deb Lang. “We hope that Cvent inspires others to consider how to be the best community partner possible, even when it comes to deciding how to dispose of their unused office products.”

Findings published by the Pew Research Center highlight that there remains a “digital divide” between Americans with lower and higher incomes. Data from 2021 reveals that many lower-income adults do not have home broadband services (43%) or a desktop or laptop computer (41%). Among children, this disparity manifests in the so-called “homework gap,” or the barriers students face when working on homework without a reliable internet source in their own homes. In 2015, 35% of lower-income households with school-aged children did not have access to a broadband internet connection at home.

KindWorks’ Digital Empowerment Initiative has facilitated donations of refurbished laptops to groups most affected by the digital divide—creating greater equity for underserved populations while also minimizing electronic waste. In 2021, the Digital Empowerment team allocated hundreds of computers to those in need including resettling Afghans, Latino and historically underserved youth, low-income students and families, and several additional community initiatives in the DC-Virginia-Maryland areas. Cvent’s donation will allow KindWorks to substantially increase the number of computers distributed this year.