I went to the Salvation Army in Central Square to see if I could talk to some of the people who use their services. I was eventually passed along to the director of the Central Square Salvation Army. The director, Karen, informed me that the people in the common area of the facility would not want to talk to me. When reading my potential questions upon her request, she started to give answers to the question based on her knowledge as the director.

Karen stated that the devices commonly used amongst homeless people are smartphones and Laptops. When I asked her where they get the smartphones, she told me about Assurance Wireless and the Assurance Wireless Unlimited program. I then asked how they get laptops, which is when she informed me about the takeout technology program at the Cambridge Public Library just down the street. This is how I initially found out about the ACP and Assurance Wireless. I thanked Karen for her time and when to check out the programs at the library, and to see if I could interview a homeless person on the street.

When walking the streets looking for potential interviewees, a few criteria had to be met to ensure my safety and the quality of the responses. I was looking for someone who appeared to be sober, did not suffer from serious or at least noticeable mental illness. I was also looking for those asking for money or sitting on a corner with a sign to avoid offending anyone by assuming whether or not they are homeless.

I was able to find one person that fit my criteria and they agreed to the interview. The interviewee was named Mark. When I approached Mark, he was sitting outside the exit door to CVS in Harvard Square on the sidewalk with a sign. Mark states that he owns a laptop that he uses for everything from entertainment to getting resources like housing assistance. The shelter provides him with a way to charge his laptop and phone, and they also provide wifi. When not at the shelter, Mark leaves his laptop behind and only uses his phone. He uses his phone all day mainly for directions but has limited usage due to data limitations and throttling. There was plenty more information I got from Karen, the public library, and Mark, but these are the important details that influenced my design decisions. If you would like further information or details, please contact me. I would be glad to share all of the documents I have.