As the back-to-school season began, AT&T and Puede Network hosted a laptop distribution event, providing hundreds of students in Dallas with essential educational tools at our Connected Learning Center within the Puede Network. This nonprofit organization offers students from underserved areas transformative opportunities through education, leadership, and athletics. We joined forces with Compudopt, AT&T CEO John Stankey, and Puede Network founder Adan Gonzalez to distribute 600 backpacks and laptops to students, supporting their academic pursuits.
To inspire the students, AT&T employees included notes of encouragement in each backpack. This event was truly extraordinary, as students eagerly embraced the ways in which their new devices would help connect them to greater possibilities. We are committed to supporting them every step of the way, providing the tools they need to carve their own paths to success.
“Connecting people to greater possibility is at the core of what we do,” said Charlene Lake, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer at AT&T. “Adan’s story captures the importance of connectivity. We’re proud to partner with Puede Network and Adan to help close the digital divide by giving local students and families access to free internet through the connected learning center, and the educational and mentoring resources to help them succeed. Connectivity is crucial, whether it’s a student applying to college, a parent applying for a better job, or a family using it to stay in touch.”
The story of Puede Network founder Adan Gonzalez is truly inspiring. In 2010, with a laptop borrowed from a local nonprofit, Adan sat on the sidewalk of a McDonalds to apply for scholarships and complete his application to Georgetown University. Working to help his family, as well as involved in extracurricular activities, the evenings were the only time Gonzalez had available to dedicate to his applications. By then, the local libraries were closed – and the free WiFi from the fast-food chain was how he submitted scholarship and college applications.
After realizing his dream of attending Georgetown University, Gonzalez was named a White House Fellow and had the opportunity to work for the Secretary of Education. However, his dedication to helping students succeed didn’t stop there.
Determined to provide students with educational tools, Gonzalez has impacted many by establishing Puede Network. In collaboration with AT&T, Puede Network launched a Connected Learning Center in Dallas, offering internet access and educational supplies essential for success. AT&T also donated $50,000 for programming support, another critical component of bridging the digital divide.
One of our primary goals as a company is to empower communities with connectivity and technology across the country. This year’s backpack distribution events brought us one step closer to fulfilling our goal of investing $5 billion to help bridge the digital divide by 2030.
Puede Network is also celebrating a step closer to their goal of providing more than 20,000 students with necessities like laptops, backpacks, and school supplies to support their learning throughout the school year.
With the ongoing support of our partners at Puede Network and Compudopt, we look forward to continuing our mission to bring more digital resources to members of our communities. In the words of Adan Gonzalez, “There is no more incredible feeling than helping others help themselves.”
