More than 100 residents gathered outside on a sunny November morning to launch the newest AT&T Connected Learning CenterSM (CLC), located in the Bronx, NY, at the Edenwald Houses. The project is the result of a collaboration between the New York City Computer Lab Initiative and AT&T, in conjunction with the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), Camber Property Group and its Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) partner team, as well as the Edenwald Houses Tenant Association. The CLC will provide internet access and high-quality educational tools and programming to residents of the Edenwald Houses and the surrounding community who encounter barriers to online participation.
The CLC, made possible through funding to the New York City Computer Lab Initiative from AT&T ($30,000) and a Safe in the City Grant from DYCD ($15,000), will be temporarily housed in a mobile office on the grounds of the Edenwald Houses during ongoing upgrades and renovations, before being moved into a permanent space inside the building at a later date.
The NYC Computer Lab Initiative aims to address the digital divide, said David Solomon Jones, Founder and Executive Director of Ikhodi and The NYC Computer Lab Initiative. “While every young person will not pursue S.T.E.A.M. related careers, every career that they pursue will involve technology in some capacity, even potential entrepreneurial endeavors. In addition, if we tell our youth to say ‘no’ to something, we must give them an option of what to say ‘yes’ to. Safe spaces, education and opportunities for employment are the options that we are providing.”
In New York City, almost a quarter of households lack a broadband subscription, and that percentage is even higher for Black, Hispanic, low-income and senior households. This CLC will offer families a safe, dedicated space to engage with technology.
“As part of Mayor Adams’ priority of a more equitable city for all, DYCD is proud to support this CLC through a Safe in the City Grant. By providing residents with internet access and programming, we keep them engaged, safe, and connected to opportunities so they can flourish,” said NYC Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Keith Howard. “DYCD thanks the NYC Computer Lab Initiative, AT&T, Camber Property Group, the Edenwald Houses Tenant Association, and all our partners who are helping to bridge the digital divide.”
The CLC at Edenwald Houses offers free access to digital resources, including computer stations, Wi-Fi, and other connected technology. The center will serve older Americans and adult residents during the day, as well as youth and students after school hours. It will offer programming such as digital literacy classes, test prep courses, STEM classes and more.
This facility is the eighth AT&T CLC in New York, with seven others operating at nonprofit organizations across the state. AT&T launches CLCs as part of the AT&T Connected Learning® initiative. The company is committing $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to internet by 2030.
“On behalf of our 5,000 residents, we are grateful to be selected as the site for the latest AT&T CLC. Edenwald is the largest NYCHA development in the Bronx, and having an on-site computer lab will add to the positive transformation happening right now, as we renovate 2,035 apartments and common areas in over 40 buildings through the PACT program,” said Edenwald Houses Tenant Association President Walter J. McNeil.
The NYC Computer Lab Initiative is in the process of opening a computer lab in every underprivileged and underserved community in New York City, totaling 300+. So far, The NYC Computer Lab Initiative has opened 10 computer labs, and the opening of the computer lab in the Bronx at Edenwald Houses with AT&T will mark the 11th.
The Edenwald development, the largest in the Bronx, recently converted to Project-Based Section 8 through NYCHA’s PACT program. This program transitions NYCHA developments from traditional public housing assistance to the more stable, federally funded Project-Based Section 8 program—unlocking funding for designated PACT partners to complete comprehensive repairs.
At AT&T, we believe everyone deserves an opportunity to make the most out of the digital world. And we have been working to help bring the right resources and the right technology to the right places. Our investment in the AT&T CLC at Edenwald Houses will give Bronx residents of all ages access to technology, internet connectivity, educational and mentoring resources to help them succeed in digital environments.
Read more: NYC Computer Lab Initiative, AT&T, DYCD, and partners open Connected Learning Center at Edenwald Houses in the Bronx (Amsterdam News)
