For many children who received laptops last week, it was the first computer they could call their own — not borrowed from a school, library or relative.

• Derrick Brooks Charities, in partnership with AT&T and Compudopt, distributed 250 refurbished laptops to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast members and their families across three counties during back-to-back events Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Tonight, you could see what opportunity looks like on a child’s face,” said Shervin Rassa, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast. “From the earliest grades through high school, a device at home is now essential to keep up with assignments, connect safely, and explore what’s possible.”

The distributions took place at the Emerald Coast Boys & Girls Club in Fort Walton Beach on Tuesday and the Boys & Girls Club of Escambia County in Pensacola on Wednesday. Each site received 125 laptops funded by an AT&T contribution, with devices going to preselected recipients from Escambia, Okaloosa and Walton counties identified as having the greatest need.

• Eligible households may also qualify for up to one year of AT&T Fiber at no cost through a philanthropic program administered by Compudopt.

The effort addressed what organizers called the digital divide — the gap in access to reliable internet service and connected devices that became starkly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thanks to Derrick Brooks Charities, AT&T, and Compudopt, we’re closing a gap we all saw so clearly during COVID and opening doors for families across the Emerald Coast,” Rassa said.

The distributions are part of AT&T’s broader initiative to expand internet accessibility. The company has distributed more than 4,000 computers across Florida since 2021 as part of a $5 billion commitment to help 25 million people get and stay connected by 2030.