UScellular is helping provide equitable learning opportunities and keeping local youth connected to their education by donating 140 wireless hotspots and at least 13 months of service to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa to ensure internet access through the 2021-22 school year. The hotspots help Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa boost connectivity when area youth are at Club for virtual learning and are also loaned out to families to support access at home.
Wireless hotspots have become a lifeline for education during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure youth can participate in remote learning – no matter how and where they are learning and studying. While Des Moines Public Schools are back to in-person classes, the hotspots will continue to be a vital tool for students to study and complete school work at home or at their Club.
“We are so thankful for UScellular’s partnership and their investment in the youth of Central Iowa,” Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa CEO Tony Timm said. “When we think about how 2020 changed the way that all business and learning is done in our communities, and the impacts that it had specifically on Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa, the opportunity to have the 140 Uscellular hotspots is great for our Club kids. UScellular stepped up to the plate knowing how important these devices have become to stay engaged with our members and their support systems.”
The hotspots provided connect to UScellular’s network to provide high-speed connectivity for Club members throughout the area. Each hotspot has the potential to support multiple Club members throughout any given day.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa provide an essential service for youth in our community, and we want to help ensure their members have the connectivity they need to be successful,” said Dee Taylor, UScellular’s director of sales for west Iowa. “Wireless technology is key to providing broadband service to families in both urban and rural areas, and we believe that every household deserves access to reliable internet access. The pandemic has been hard on many people, and kids are no exception. At UScellular, we want to do our part to ensure youth in our area have the resources they need to stay connected when not in their classrooms.”