As part of AT&T’s recently announced nationwide commitment to help bridge the digital divide and homework gap, the AT&T Foundation is contributing more than $40,000 to two organizations that prepare Camden’s young people for college and careers and help them overcome the academic challenges they faced in the past year.
A $25,750 contribution to Hopeworks will support the Cohen Technology Center, which provides broadband connectivity, community, and equipment for underserved youth to promote high wage remote jobs. Learn more about this program here.
The Rowan University Foundation received a $15,000 contribution to support the Launch Pad at Camden program, which provides low-income students access to the internet and digital literacy training to promote college enrollment. Learn more about this program here.
The contributions were announced during a special event at the Hopeworks’ Cohen Technology Center in Camden. Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen and Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. joined Joseph Divis, interim president, AT&T-New Jersey, and representatives from Hopeworks and Rowan for the announcement.
“The generosity and foresight that went into these donations is a noble gesture to assist the kids in our city bridge the gap of the digital divide and fight many of the inequities that were exasperated by the pandemic,” said Mayor Carstarphen. “I want to thank the AT&T Foundation for their support of these two anchor institutions in our community and in for their commitment to these two programs at Hopeworks and Rowan University.”
“Ensuring that kids and young adults have the digital tools, access and opportunity is vital for us to take Camden to the next level. Both of the programs being funded today by the AT&T Foundation provide these critical initiatives which will have long-term impacts for many years to come for kids in the city,” said Cappelli. “These are the types of collaborations that allow us to improve and enhance the outcomes for residents.”
“The pandemic heightened the challenges faced by the millions of students nationwide, including here in New Jersey,” said Divis. “Under-resourced neighborhoods have been hit particularly hard. The AT&T Foundation is proud to continue our collaboration with Rowan and Hopeworks to help equip Camden’s students with tools and experiences they will need for success.”
“Hopeworks is proud to partner with AT&T to truly build a sustainable future for the young people of Camden and the region,” says Dan Rhoton, Executive Director of Hopeworks Camden, “by truly bridging the digital divide for our young people and their families and communities.”
“Rowan University is proud to again team up with AT&T Foundation to bridge the digital divide for students in the city of Camden,” said Dr. Dawn Singleton, Senior Director of Student Success and Inclusion Programs at Rowan University. “This collaboration is particularly important for the first-generation college students served by the Launch Pad. It will enhance the educational access programming and resources we provide to students and families in the city of Camden.”
AT&T is committing more than $2 billion over the next 3 years to bridge the digital divide through affordable broadband offers for both consumers and education institutions, as well as high quality educational resources and community investment through AT&T Connected Learning, a program to connect students to skills, resources, and opportunities for success in school and in life.
