What’s the news? More than four dozen laptops will be given to support the families and students who make up the racetrack community in Louisville. The donation is part of AT&T’s nationwide commitment to help bridge the digital divide.
AT&T is working with Human-I-T to provide the Backside Learning Center (BLC) with computers and other resources. The computers, funded by an AT&T donation to Human-I-T, will support efforts to help the equine workers and their families fully participate in our modern world.
Some of the laptops will be used by the BLC as a computer lab for the Front Runners afterschool program, Creciendo Juntos youth group, and Tutoring Pairs, as well as English classes for adults. Others will form a “lending library” for students and families who need access to a device at home. And some will go to middle school or high school students who have experienced significant housing instability during the past year.
Why is this important?
In Louisville, it’s estimated that more than 31,000 K-12 students1 don’t have access to the internet, computers or skills needed at home to benefit from the online world, an issue known as the digital divide.
These efforts are part of the AT&T Connected Learning initiative, created as part of our companywide, $2 billion commitment from 2021- 2023, to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability and safe adoption.
What are people saying?
“The families who live and work on the backside play an incredibly important role in making Louisville the community we all love,” said Sherry Stanley, Executive Director. “Yet in all the excitement of the racing season, they are often overlooked. We are excited about what these new computers will mean for the students and adults we serve.”
“Access to computers is vital in today’s connected world and we are glad we can provide these resources to those that need them most,” said Carlos E. Sanchez, President of AT&T Kentucky. “Where a person was born or the ZIP code where they live shouldn’t determine their opportunities for the future. And that’s what bridging the digital divide is all about. “
AT&T is a Pinnacle Sponsor of the 2023 Kentucky Derby Festival, and was a corporate exhibitor at the premier Thunder Over Louisville event. AT&T is the Preferred Fiber Internet sponsor of the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
About the Backside Learning Center
The Backside Learning Center (BLC) is an independent non-profit organization providing support and resources in a safe, welcoming environment for the diverse community of racetrack workers and their families. With programs centered around educational support for both adults and youth, health and wellness, human services and more, we are committed to serving as a community center and a “home away from home” for the backside community. For more information, go to https://backsidelearningcenter.org/
*About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
We’re committed to advancing education, creating opportunities, strengthening communities, and improving lives. As part of our companywide $2 billion commitment from 2021- 2023 to address the digital divide, we launched AT&T Connected Learning to invest in connectivity and technology, digital literacy, and education solutions to help today’s learners succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Since 2008 we’ve committed to programs that help millions of students across all 50 states and around the world, particularly those in underserved communities.
