Access to reliable connectivity causes a divide between youth who have access and those who do not. Currently, 35% of low-income households lack any access to broadband service at home. This leads to an issue known as the “homework gap” among students who lack proper internet access.
To close this gap, UScellular has launched the After School Access Project, a program that provides free mobile hotspots and service to nonprofits that support youth after the school day has ended and provides safe internet access for homework and education. Through the After School Access Project, UScellular has pledged to donate up to $13 million in hotspots and service to help up to 50,000 youth connect to reliable internet in its markets.
To date, UScellular has donated more than 3,800 hotspots, a value of $3.7 million, to its communities through this initiative. Eligible 501c3 nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply by going to www.AfterSchoolAccessProject.com.
“The success of students in the communities we serve is very important to us at UScellular,” said
Monique Moore, UScellular’s director of sales for west Iowa. “Connecting people and communities is our mission, and the After School Access Project is just one way that we’re helping ensure students have the reliable access they need to grow and pursue their dreams.”
Hotspots are stand-alone Wi-Fi networks that can connect several devices at once wirelessly and have proven to be a vital tool for youth to access the internet, study and complete homework. The hotspots provided through the After School Access Project connect to UScellular’s network to provide high-speed connectivity for youth while at an organization.
UScellular is focused on addressing gaps in STEM education and committed to connecting more than 200,000 of tomorrow’s innovators each year with the resources they need today to help shape future opportunities. Since 2009, UScellular has donated nearly $21.4 million along with countless experiences and technology items to nonprofit organizations across the country. For more information about the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, please go to https://newsroom.uscellular.com/community/.
