Illinois is one of the states in the United States. The state has more than 12 million people as per the recent census. Among the population, we have those who cannot afford tablets and other devices such as smartphones and computers. Therefore, there is a need to give such people free devices to use for various needs. You will learn how to get a free tablet with EBT Illinois shortly.
You might be wondering why a tablet is so valuable to the extent that people are looking for where to get free devices. You can use a tablet to communicate with others. We have tablets with SIM card slots so that you can insert your SIM card and send text messages, make voice calls, and access internet services using cellular internet. Also, tablets allow you to entertain yourself by watching movies, playing games, etc.
Additionally, the modern education system requires students to use tablets to study online. Also, numerous school activities require kids to use tablets such as drawing, typing, and watching educational videos. We have children who come from low-income families but cannot afford the devices. There are ways low-income people from Illinois and other states get free tablets from the government and non-governmental organizations.
Guideways to obtain a free tablet with EBT Illinois
You can have a free tablet with EBT in Illinois in two ways. They include the following.
- Through the Affordable Connectivity Program
- Via non-governmental organizations
Let us look at each way in detail so you can understand better.
1. Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program is among the benefits programs in the United States. It offers free internet to less privileged families as long as they prove their financial status. The program offers a $30 per month discount for internet service for qualifying households and up to $75 monthly for households on eligible Tribal lands. Qualifying households can also get a one-time discount of at most $100 to buy a laptop, desktop, or tablet from participating service providers if they pay at least $10 and less than $50 toward the buying price.
Even though the discount given seems low, we have so many tablets that cost under $100. The amount you should contribute towards the tablet purchase price is minimal, meaning it is almost free. You can qualify for the ACP program if your household income is 200% or below the Federal Poverty guideline. Additionally, you can benefit if you or a household member participates in the following assistance programs.
- Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch Program
- Medicaid
- SNAP
- School Breakfast Program
- Provision schools
- WIC
- Federal Housing Assistance, including Housing Choice Voucher Program, Public Housing, Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits
- Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA)/Section 202/ Section 811, and Affordable Housing Programs for Alaska Natives, American Indians, or Native Hawaiians
Those who live in the tribal lands can also benefit from the assistance program if they participate in the above or the following Tribal assistance programs.
- Tribal Head Start (income based)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Tribal TANF
Documents needed for ACP Program
For you to qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program, there are various documents you must produce for a successful application. They include the following.
- Income document
- Program Participation
- Date of birth
- Social Security Number or Tribal ID Number
- Prove of address
- Identity document
- Life document
You can bring one of the following documents to prove your qualification by income.
- Prior year’s federal, state, or Tribal tax return
- Unemployment/Workers’ Compensation statement of benefits
- Federal/Tribal notice letter of participation in General Assistance
- Latest income statement from your current employer or a paycheck stub
- Veterans Administration statement of benefits
- Child support award, divorce decree, or any other official document with income information
Suppose you qualify for the ACP program through an assistance program from the government. In that case, you can bring any of the following documents.
- Benefit award letter
- Benefit verification letter
- Approval letter
- Statement of benefits
How to apply for the ACP program
You can apply using any of the three ways to get a free tablet through ACP.Â
- Online
You can apply for the ACP program online when you visit AffordableConnectivity.gov, which takes you to the National Verifier portal to submit various details. After that, processing begins, and you can receive feedback about your application to choose your preferred ACP service provider and get a free tablet.
- Apply through your service provider.
You can also apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program through your service provider. Various service providers offer ACP services. They include Access Wireless, TrueConnect, Life Wireless, and Boost Wireless.
- Apply by mail
You can also send your ACP application via mail. You only need to download the ACP application form, fill out the necessary details, and send them to ACP Support Center PO Box 7081. London, KY 40742. After a successful application, one will receive a notification on where to get their free internet service and a tablet.
2. Apply for a free tablet through a non-governmental organization
Various non-government organizations offer free tablets when you qualify. The organizations use the same criteria used by ACP, whereby you can get a free tablet if you qualify by income or program participation. Examples of non-governmental organizations which offer free tablets include the following.
- Salvation Army
- Adaptive.Org
- Everyoneon
- Komputers 4 Kids
- On It Foundation
A brief overviews about EBT
Before I guide you on getting a free tablet through food stamps EBT in Illinois, you must understand what EBT is. EBT means Electronic Benefits Transfer, an electronic system that allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries to pay for food using SNAP benefits.Â
Usually, participants shop at SNAP-authorized retail stores and, through the relevant systems, debit their SNAP EBT accounts to reimburse the store for the purchased food. EBT is used in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia, and Guam. EBT has been the primary method of SNAP issuance in all the US states since June 2004.
Bottom line
Illinois is one of the states in the United States. The state has more than 12 million people as per the recent census. Among the population, we have people who cannot afford tablets due to financial challenges. One can obtain a free tablet through the Affordable Connectivity Program or specific assistance programs. You can qualify for a free tablet if you participate in a government assistance program or through low-income.