In July 2020 a partnership between City of York Council, Community Furniture Store and Changing Lives formed the IT ReUse project to provide access to free computers and tablets to those most in need. 

IT ReUse aims to address the difficulties and challenges highlighted by the pandemic. In the City of York, 9% of people do not have access to the internet – that equates to approximately 15,000.  That means that they can’t access education resources, online banking, benefits or take part in social activities. Many people take these things for granted.

Our goal is to eliminate digital exclusion in York – not just during the pandemic, but for good.  

In October 2020 The Community Furniture Store and Changing Lives received grant funding from The Two Ridings Community Foundations to provide access to refurbished IT equipment donated by businesses and the general public. We have continued to receive funding from a variety of benefactors. Through an Internet connectivity grant from the City of York Council, we’ve expanded our offering to include standalone Internet connections throughout 2022.

We continue to expand our offerings and provide opportunities for volunteers to gain vital IT industry experience.