Knoxville Launches Laptop Program for Re-Entry Participants
The Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee is distributing 200 laptops to people returning from the justice system through a digital literacy initiative.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Adult Education
Live Poll
Should local governments fund job-training programs for people leaving prison?
The Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee has launched a digital literacy initiative for previously incarcerated individuals, with AT&T donating laptops for participants. Each participant will complete a three-hour training session and receive their own laptop until all 200 have been distributed.
Why it matters
Justice-involved individuals often face barriers to employment because they lack access to technology and the skills to use it. The initiative targets that gap as part of a broader re-entry program that also helps participants find housing, employment, and identification documents.
The program's stated target is 200 laptops, each going to an individual participant after completing a three-hour training session covering email, online forms, Google tools, Indeed job searches, resumes, virtual interviews, and OSHA certification. The source does not report how many participants have enrolled or how long distribution will take.
The players
Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee
A community action agency that administers programs in employment, housing, and education for residents of Knox County, Tennessee.
AT&T
A major American telecommunications company that donated the laptops used in the digital literacy initiative.
Ray Abbas
Director of Workforce Development at the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, overseeing employment programming for the agency.
The details
The Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee manages a re-entry program that helps people coming out of the justice system find housing, employment, and IDs. Through partnerships with community organizations that serve re-entry participants, the program adds a digital literacy component supported by laptop donations from AT&T.
Timeline
November 2, 2026: Article published announcing the launch of the CAC digital literacy initiative.
Industry Dynamics
The effort builds on federal re-entry efforts such as the First Step Act of 2018, which expanded programming for people leaving prison. Local initiatives like this one extend that focus into digital skills, which many job applications now require.
Previously incarcerated Knoxville-area residents can enroll in a three-hour digital training session to receive their own laptop, which can support job searches, resume writing, and virtual interviews. The program is available through the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee at (865) 546-3500.
The takeaway
Access to a laptop and basic digital skills can be a practical first step toward employment for people re-entering the workforce. Those interested in the program can call the Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee at (865) 546-3500 for details.
Further reading
For more on skills programs open to adults, see Adult Education coverage in Knoxville.
Live Poll
Should local governments fund job-training programs for people leaving prison?
