We spoke with the Chief Operating Officer of one AT&T’s nonprofit device refurbishment partners, Compudopt, to learn more about the organization’s mission and what brought her to the role.
Read more from Compudopt COO, Allison Katarski:
Tell us about Compudopt and why the nonprofit is focused on bridging the digital divide.
Compudopt is a national nonprofit on a mission to provide technology access and education to under resourced youth and their communities. We were founded in 2007 and are the largest and only 501c3 nonprofit in the country with a complete digital equity solution which is delivered at no cost to program participants.
We know that introducing technology into households by giving them computers that they own, transforms their lives and provides access to a wealth of resources and services otherwise out of reach. Never in history has technology been more important to the family than it is today, and we firmly believe that the catalyst to economic mobility for a family is owning a computer within their home.
What does your collaboration with AT&T look like?
Our collaboration with AT&T has been amazing. They have been a true partner both here in Illinois and nationally. The Chicagoland staff are unparalleled in their commitment to service. From day one, AT&T staff have been side by side, shoulder to shoulder with us at computer distributions serving communities all over the Chicagoland area. One of the most gratifying parts of working for a nonprofit is finding partners who are so invested in the work that’s being done. It’s not just about donating funds it’s about making a difference. We know that AT&T truly believes in connecting people and truly believes and supports our mission to provide access to help connect people.
You and your team were very involved in AT&T’s Chicago Connectivity Week and Illinois Connectivity Day – what do you take away from those events?
We are honored to be part of Chicago Connectivity Week and Illinois Connectivity Day. To be honest, the events were a bit of a rallying cry for our team. Having distributions back-to-back to back and all in one day this year, figuring out the logistics for how our small staff could serve in different locations across the city and downstate all in the same day was super rewarding. I think one of the main things that I took away from the events this week was realizing (again) how much AT&T cares and how invested the staff are. To see volunteers from all different departments within AT&T come out and support is really powerful.
What brought you to your current role with Compudopt?
I started at Compudopt as a volunteer. At the very beginning of the pandemic a former colleague of mine called and asked if I could help her with a computer distribution. Chicago was the first Compudopt site to be established outside of the Houston/Galveston area and they were short staffed. One distribution turned into countless as I fell in love with the mission and the work.
Those early computer distributions remain some of the most fulfilling ones in my time with Compudopt. Knowing that I could do something to help provide families in my community with the resources and tools they needed, at one of the most horrific times in our country’s history, was incredibly empowering and humbling at the same time.
As schools pivoted to online learning the spotlight was on devices and internet for students to be able to attend school, but devices and internet became so much more than just vehicles for online learning. They became a connector. Providing families with a device allowed families to connect with each other in ways they otherwise could not. Everybody remembers the beginning of the pandemic and the isolation that came with it. Families with a device in their home could connect not only for school and work but with family, to celebrate a birthday or anniversary virtually.
In a lot of ways volunteering was my way of navigating the pandemic. So, in December of 2020, when the COO role for Compudopt was posted, I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
