Google has donated 17,000 Nexus 7 tablets to assist New York communities still recovering from Hurricane Sandy. The tablets, which have a retail value of over $2.7 million, will be used in libraries, senior centers, and small businesses. "For many of our state’s residents who are still building back, the generosity of companies like Google can make a huge difference," Governor Andrew Cuomo says in a statement. In areas where libraries haven't been reopened, the tablets will be loaned out as e-readers. Elsewhere, libraries and small businesses will use the tablets for job and skill training tools, and senior centers will use them to allow seniors to video chat with their family and friends.

Libraries, senior centers, and small businesses will receive the tablets

"Increasingly, more and more people are using technology and the internet to educate themselves or provide for their families," Susan Molinari, vice president of government relations at Google, says in a statement. "Our hope is that these tablets will be a resource to do just that."

The donation was announced yesterday on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy hitting the city. The tablets are being directly donated to the New York State Community Action Association, a not-for-profit that will employ the tablets throughout these varying community programs. “Private donations like these are critical in aiding local communities in our ongoing recovery," Governor Cuomo says. "We thank Google for helping New York build back better than before.”