Innovative drive-thru event in Charlotte offered free eero devices instead of burgers and fries
Charlotte, N.C. (February 3, 2025) – Some North Carolina residents recently got a unique opportunity to improve connectivity across their community — at a drive-thru event that offered new technology instead of fast food.
Through a partnership with national nonprofit Connected Nation (CN), Charlotte-based E2D, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating the Digital Divide in the Carolinas, handed out free Amazon eero devices at the one-of-a-kind event on December 14. The eero device is a router that brings reliable Wi-Fi coverage to an entire home.
E2D hosted a table at the Grier Heights Community Center for Health for the Holidays, an annual drive-thru health event that offers lots of community resources and giveaways. E2D representatives explained the benefits of using an eero device, determined specific community members’ needs, distributed the router extenders, and shared important resources.
The event had an incredible turnout. About 70 eero Pro devices were distributed to individuals and families in need of adequate broadband access. The Pro version offers more coverage and faster speeds than the standard eero.
Community stakeholders and council members were also in attendance to show their support for this innovative effort.
“Reliable internet connectivity is essential in today’s digital world,” said Mark Jerrell, Chair of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners. “Programs like this help bridge the Digital Divide, ensuring underserved communities have access to telehealth, remote work, online education, and other critical services.”
More about eero
Founded in 2014, eero is a router that smartly directs network traffic to minimize interruptions and keep your connection smooth and reliable. As the first home-mesh Wi-Fi system, eero revolutionized household internet with its award-winning TrueMesh technology that improves connectivity for homes and businesses. To learn more about the eero Pro, click here.
Some benefits of an eero device include straightforward setup, coverage for the entire home, room for expansion, and protective security measures.
A strong partnership with Amazon
In 2024, CN partnered with Amazon to launch the eero Connectivity Community Donation Program. This initiative involved collaboration with several nonprofit organizations to ensure that eero Pro devices were distributed to underserved households in need.
Those partners include E2D, Digitunity, Human-I-T, and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, which support distribution nationwide. These organizations have extensive experience in assisting vulnerable communities with accessing resources that help bridge the Digital Divide.
The program is designed to enhance internet connectivity for low-income families, students, and residents of underserved rural and urban communities by providing them with fast and reliable Wi-Fi.
The donated eero devices play a vital role in helping families save money by eliminating the cost of Wi-Fi routers and extenders, a common expense tied to internet service. By providing free eero mesh Wi-Fi devices to underserved households, the program removes a significant financial burden, making broadband more accessible and affordable.
By directly addressing the affordability barrier to broadband adoption, this initiative empowers families to focus their resources on maintaining internet service and accessing vital online opportunities, including educational resources, job opportunities, and essential services.
Ultimately, the Connectivity Community Donation Program seeks to support 5,000 households and over 12,000 individuals across the United States.
Charlotte’s progress toward digital equity
Charlotte is filled with broadband deserts, areas where there is limited or no access to high-speed internet. Nearly 56,000 households in Mecklenburg County have no internet access at all, while about 26,000 households have only mobile internet or dial-up service.
E2D has lots of experience in serving the Charlotte community. Founded in 2013, the organization has worked with over 170 local schools to provide laptops to more than 36,000 families. The nonprofit has also partnered with the Center for Digital Equity, an organization serving Mecklenburg County that aims to bring together residents and both public and private sector partners to create solutions that give every resident a chance to thrive in the digital age.
With eero Pros, the people of Charlotte and other underserved areas can avoid disruptions to daily necessities such as working from home, searching for jobs, taking online classes, completing homework online, and utilizing telehealth services. Additionally, these residents now have the capability to enjoy entertainment by streaming HD video, playing video games, making video calls and using online messaging.
The partnership between Connected Nation, Amazon, and E2D has already succeeded in making strides toward closing Charlotte’s Digital Divide. The December drive-thru event, along with other similar events, offers local communities a simple solution to the ongoing fight for universal connectivity.
About the author: Kailynn Bannon supports the Connected Nation team by writing blogs, editing videos and podcasts, managing social media, and creating newsletters. Her responsibilities also include researching video marketing trends and analyzing website and social media metrics, while enhancing various communications materials like brochures and event invitations.