Technology for Families in Need (TechFIN)

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Based in Industry City, Technology For Families In Need (TechFIN) is working to close the digital divide for low-income households in New York City. TechFIN was founded a decade ago by Nigel Frankson, after his personal experience growing up without access to a home computer. When he later anonymously donated a computer to a mentee and his siblings, he saw firsthand how dramatically their educational and career opportunities improved.

Realizing many other families faced similar barriers, Frankson and a partner launched TechFIN to bridge the digital divide. The organization refurbishes and distributes computers donated by corporations to families in need across the five boroughs.

“I was also thinking about the fact that we now had corporate jobs where we were given a new computer every two to three years, and it seemed incredibly wasteful that a perfectly working computer would be disposed of or even recycled – when a computer is worth so much more as a whole versus just some of its parts,” Frankson said.

Since its inception, TechFIN has provided more than 4,000 computers to families in need.

Since the organization currently operates with outsourced services, part-time staff and board member help, Frankson said the Brooklyn Org Spark Prize award money will help the organization hire a full-time executive director, a step he believes is essential for its growth.

“We are thrilled that Brooklyn Org has recognized the value of our work using donated corporate computers to create digital equity for low-income families across New York City. The Brooklyn Org Spark Prize will allow us to help transform the lives of moms who cannot fully access job opportunities or health care services and their kids who are forced to complete homework assignments on their phone all because they don’t have a computer in the home,” said Frankson.

“There are enough unwanted corporate computers on the island of Manhattan for every low-income family in NYC to have one,” he shared.