Tag Archives: Community Impact
KC Digital Drive – Digital Dignity and More Choices for Underserved Residents in Kansas City
Google Fiber partners with organizations working to make digital equity a reality in the communities we serve. KC Digital Drive was mobilized to combat the digital divide for underserved residents in Kansas City. Brynna Darley of KC Digital Drive shares the organization’s work towards the region’s digital transformation with an emphasis on digital choice and dignity, as well as support broadband connectivity and digital inclusion.
KC Digital Drive is an organization that focuses on civic engagement in digital inclusion and emerging technology. To do so, we offer several programs to help combat the digital divide in the bi-state Kansas City region. We leverage the talents and resources available to us in the surrounding community. Notably, the last two years of our collaboration with Google Fiber found us on the receiving end of 400 Chromecasts.
Wanting to make the best of this opportunity, Peter Smith, an AmeriCorps Vista member working with KC Digital Drive, got creative and developed a new educational workshop that illustrated the power of switching from cable TV to streaming services (like added flexibility and more money in your pocket each month). He developed a curriculum and connected with partner organizations to assess the demand for this new Cut the Cord (CTC) Workshop.
Each one-hour session focuses on:
Setting up and using Chromecast
Navigating the streaming landscape of free and paid services
Finding reliable home internet at speeds suitable for their streaming needs
Since introducing this curriculum in April of 2023, we’ve distributed more than 325 Chromecasts donated by GFiber, across 19 events with nine different partner organizations, including Phoenix Family, The Black Family Technology Awareness Association, and Jewish Family Services.
In October of last year, we integrated the workshops into our class schedule at the Digital Services and Support Center at the LAMP campus — a digital commons for training and support in Kansas City historic east side that serves low-income neighborhoods and residents.
One workshop attendee, Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Mesa, is a perfect example of how transformative one device can be. Mesa is 82 years old, living in Kansas City but originally from Wyoming.
“Living on a fixed income, cable is a cost just like anything else, like a cellphone,” he said. He learned about our Cut the Cord workshops through outreach from our Digital Skills Trainer, Carol Meyers.
Mesa shared that being a nerdy type of guy, access to streaming content and entertainment with his new Chromecast allows him to explore interests of history, nature, civilization, different animals and people, and the planet and science.
We have been so pleased to see the demand for these workshops grow as our partners and community engage with options that boost equity and understanding of the technology and digital skills that fuel such a big part of daily life. We know that cable subscriptions can be expensive, and we are delighted to see these free devices help hundreds of households save money each month.
To learn more about Cut the Cord workshop and the digital inclusion ecosystem in Kansas City, subscribe to our Kansas City Regional Digital Inclusion Newsletter and visit us online at kcdigitaldrive.org.
Posted by Brynna Darley, State Digital Inclusion Coordinator
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Source: Google Fiber Blog
MLK Day and the pursuit of equitable internet access
As Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, we are reminded of the ongoing pursuit for equity, justice, and the civil rights leader’s legacy and vision of a world with equal access to opportunities. Google Fiber aspires to be a part of this dream, by helping to bridge the digital divide and foster inclusivity in our increasingly connected world.
Everyone deserves fast, reliable internet at an accessible price, and the ability to put that internet connection to use - to connect to opportunity. We’re grateful to work with many organizations across the country that put that principle to work every day, helping their clients and constituents get more out of their lives, both online and beyond.
Here are a few ways our incredible community partners are marking this important day across the country:
Austin, Texas: The Austin Area Heritage Council’s Annual MLK Oratory Competition showcases fourth to sixth-grade students from local schools delivering speeches centered on Dr. King's dream.
Kansas City, Kansas: The Metropolitan Community College Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Luncheon, provides 5 MCC recipients with a full-tuition scholarship for one year.
Huntsville, Alabama: 2024 MLK Unity Breakfast hosted by The Delta Theta Lambda Education Foundation supports scholarships, leadership development, and training for exceptional students.
Atlanta, Georgia: 2024 MLK Days of Service and the MLK Sunday Supper are events to get the local community volunteering for projects that support 50 nonprofits and schools. This week, volunteers from the GFiber team served at C.H.O.I.C.E.S. Mobile Food Pantry in Atlanta, GA, packed meal bags and prepared for meal distribution.
Research Triangle Area (Raleigh-Durham), North Carolina: United Way of the Greater Triangle’s MLK Day of Service supports a full day of health programming at the Boys & Girls Club Raleigh.
Charlotte, North Carolina: YMCA of Greater Charlotte’s 30th Annual MLK Holiday Breakfast celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The GFiber local team will also volunteer in a MLK day of service at Samaritans Feet.
GFiber is proud to be a small part of these efforts, and others, working towards a more equitable and just world.
Of course, there is still more work to be done. We will continue to push forward to make the internet more accessible and to help others harness the power and opportunity of the internet. You can help too! One small way to act right now — the Affordable Connectivity Program helps make high speed internet available to millions of US households through a $30 a month subsidy, but this program will end in April 2024 unless Congress acts to allocate additional funding. There is a bill before Congress to extend funding for this critical program. Take a moment to let your Congresspeople add your voice on the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024 to keep that connection strong for everyone.
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Posted by Jess George, Head of Digital Equity & Community Impact
Source: Google Fiber Blog
Caritas of Austin: Alleviating Homelessness and Creating a Connected Community
Source: Google Fiber Blog
Community Foundation of Huntsville- 2023 Digital Inclusion Fund Grants
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Last week, the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville hosted a GivingTuesday celebration and announced the 2023 recipients of the Google Fiber Digital Inclusion Fund. This year, six Huntsville-area nonprofits were awarded a total of $45,000 to support programming that teaches digital literacy to residents of all ages, fund technology and STEAM lab needs, support workforce development, prepares students for technology careers, and more.
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Digital Inclusion Fund 2023 recipients include:
Girls Incorporated of Huntsville – Girls In STEM (science, TECHNOLOGY, math)
Girls in STEM is a workforce development program that will teach digital skills and develop a new talent pool of black girls in middle and high school. This grant allows girls from under-resourced communities to connect with technology in an impactful way while interacting with technology mentors.
Huntsville Learning Center – High School STEAM Lab Smart Boards
Huntsville Learning Center’s new High School Program will include a new state-of-the-art STEAM lab as well as specialized ACT prep classes. Grant funding will provide Smart Boards to support each of these two new initiatives.
His Way Recovery Center – Resident GED and Educational Programs
His Way will establish an in-house GED Program for residents, which will include an instructor to teach the classes at their facility, Adult Basic Education software, and Chromebooks for resident use in completing the lessons. Certification programs will also be included.
Huntsville Library Foundation – Equitable Access
The Huntsville Library Foundation will break down language and access barriers and connect people with resources needed to not only secure a job, but also gain skills needed to sustain employment. They will ensure patrons with disabilities or limited English proficiency have equitable access to workforce development programs.
Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama – Digital by Design
Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama will expand the scope of digital programs that will provide relevant pathways to technology careers. Currently youth are provided with Computer Science in the form of coding and video production, and this grant will support the establishment of a game development program.
The CAP & GOWN Project – 2024 STEM Summer Institute
The 2024 STEM Summer Institute will provide two weeks of free, rigorous, in-person ACT and college prep, and hands-on STEM learning, and four weeks of programming virtually via Google Classrooms. Students will learn digital literacy and utilize laptops to access resources to prepare for college.
Posted by Ryun Jackson, Government & Community Affairs Manager

Source: Google Fiber Blog
Empowering Successful Futures at Faster Speeds
Two years ago, Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City chose Google Fiber’s 2 Gig service and we’ve never looked back. In recognition of National Entrepreneurship Month, we’re highlighting how Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City uses reliable, high-speed internet to help achieve our goal of empowering the next generation of professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs.

Our work at Junior Achievement is centered on three essential pillars: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. We offer a bridge between classrooms and the real world, preparing students for success in an evolving career landscape. Through programs catering to K-12 students, our adaptable curriculum provides valuable resources and lessons that aren’t part of most schools’ required curriculum.
Technology plays a huge role in our organization’s success. The decision to switch to Google Fiber's 2-Gig internet two years ago was partially driven by our desire to upgrade our internet, but more importantly, we wanted to elevate the experience of our students at the Youth Learning Lab, presented by the Mallouk Family Foundation.
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One of the ways we’re elevating the experience is through our signature program: JA BizTown, presented by Community America Credit Union. This is an immersive experience where students step into the shoes of professionals. In the simulation, they learn how to run their own businesses, manage finances, and hone their ability to make decisions. JA BizTown challenges the next generation of employees to solve the nuanced, real-world issues that businesses face every day in a way that they connect with at their grade level.
Our simulation relies on a cloud-based platform, and our GFiber's 2-Gig service allows us to ensure the technology enabling JA BizTown runs smoothly, offering a disruption-free environment for our students. With up to 100 devices running simultaneously, reliability is key to the program’s success.
Each year, Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City serves 20,000 students across the KC metro, nearly half of which experience capstone experiences onsite at the JA Youth Learning Lab. In addition, Junior Achievement welcomes 5,000 adult volunteers and community members onsite. We partner with more than 18 community organizations to execute our programs. In order to fulfill our mission and expand our impact, we need consistent, reliable connectivity so our programming and simulations don’t miss a beat. On a given day, we know that a dozen things could surprise us, but we have been able to count on the reliability of GFiber’s internet access.

Today, there’s so much pressure on young people to choose their career—and the options only continue to grow. Our programming, like JA BizTown or the 3DE model of education implemented at the high school level, opens their eyes to new opportunities they may not have previously considered. Our partnerships with Kansas City businesses inspire students by offering opportunities that align with their passions in unexpected ways. For instance, participants learn that they don’t have to be a center fielder to work for the Kansas City Royals. They can work in marketing, ticket sales, community outreach—the list goes on. Exposure to business mentors from the Kansas City business landscape further widens students’ perspectives, opening a world of possibilities for their choice-filled futures.
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As we navigate the future of education, especially considering the challenges posed by the pandemic, community support is essential. Working with GFiber as a small business exemplifies the exact kind of collaboration needed to uplift our youth during a pivotal time in their lives. It takes all of us to collectively empower our future leaders and prepare them for success, and we’re so grateful for our supportive community.
If you’re interested in getting involved with Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City, there are many ways to support. Volunteer your time, share your expertise, and become a mentor to a future leader. Our range of volunteer opportunities give everyone a chance to impact the lives of these students. Together, we are shaping futures, one student at a time.
Posted by Torey Berndt, Director of Marketing and Communications, Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City

Source: Google Fiber Blog
San Antonio’s Young Women’s Leadership Academy (YWLA) empowering young women with the support of Google Fiber
Google Fiber is committed to supporting women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). As part of that commitment, we have supported the San Antonio Young Women's Leadership Academy Robotics program for the past several years with a grant that enables more young women at the academy to participate in the program. With the success of the program and the team winning their first competition this year, Ignacia Negrete Kilgore, YWLA CTE Departmental Chair shares the impact the program is making and how grateful she is for the sponsorships and partnerships that resulted in the success of the program so far.

Young Women’s Leadership Academy (YWLA) is a nonprofit STEM-focused organization in San Antonio, Texas. The entirety of what we do is dedicated to supporting young women by providing them with the necessary academic skills in STEM to achieve success in college — and it’s an organization I’m proud to be a part of. Right now, we serve over 500 female students, the majority of whom are Latina, live in low income households, and soon will become first generation college students.

But before we get into the heart of the work we do at YWLA, I want to tell you a bit about how I fit into all of this.
I started my engineering journey at Texas Tech University. I didn't know much about engineering at all — but I knew I wanted to learn. At first, it was very challenging, especially being one of the few women in the mechanical engineering program, and a Latina who was still learning English. I knew during my time there that I wanted to help change this feeling of “outsiderness” for future female engineers.
Soon after I graduated from Texas Tech, I was approached by a representative of YWLA with the opportunity to teach engineering to young women in their program. Just as I’d hoped, my doorway to make a difference in my field opened up. That was 8 years ago — and I’m still here, doing the work that I love by serving the future of women in STEM.
Shortly after I started teaching, I began envisioning where I wanted my engineering program to go. That’s when the transformation of San Antonio’s only all-girl FRC Robotics program came into play.
I got to work with my team and quickly added courses that would give our students certifications like AutoCAD, Inventor, and college credits for Computer Science, which led to the Robotics team qualifying for competitions. It was a big moment for our program and our students. But we had another massive hurdle to overcome -a stark lack of funding.
Simply put, though we began to qualify for state competitions, we couldn’t afford to attend them. This felt incredibly unfair to our hardworking students, so once again… we got to work.
I put together a sponsorship package and was grateful to connect with a local member of the GFiber team, who understood the importance of the program and knew it was the type of digital Inclusion and equity initiative that GFiber works to support.

That connection changed everything for us. Thanks to GFiber, we've been able to grow the program, provide better equipment, and not only qualify for competitions, but attend them (with multiple students)!
Last year, the program was able to pay for additional hotel rooms, food, and rent an additional vehicle to carry a total of 14 students (almost the entire team) to the competition. This was a game changer for our kids. Now, they could do the work and see their work in a competitive environment. This excitement from our students has radiated outwards. Our program is growing like never before and our graduates are ascending to new heights — attending prestigious engineering schools.
We've had students go to MIT, Brown University, Rice University, Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Austin, among others. In addition to getting into these competitive programs, the girls who participate in the robotics program are persisting through their rigorous engineering and stem degree programs to earn their degrees. The demands of the competitive robotic environment helps them build foundational skills for navigating these male-dominated spaces at the college level and beyond. This is the kind of impact that the YWLA Robotics program is making with the support of GFiber.
The achievements of our Robotics program would not be possible without a supportive team of people contributing to our success. We are truly blessed to have mentors and volunteers with great skills and experience. I am also thankful for my Head of School, Delia Montelongo, and my mentor and friend, Ashley Cash; these two inspiring women have taught me the skills needed to advocate for female STEM education and have always trusted and given me the freedom to go out there and find sponsors and partners like GFiber. It is amazing to see the growth and success that has come about due to all the support. I look forward to the continuous success of the Robotics program to educate and impact many more young girls, making great strides towards digital equity and inclusion.
Posted By Ignacia Kilgore, CTE Departmental Chair - San Antonio YWLA

Source: Google Fiber Blog
Mesa pursues digital equity and literacy
This commitment is exactly why GFiber recently invested in furthering these goals with a $25,000 donation to the Mesa College Promise program. The money will go to students working to obtain an associate’s degree in the STEM field of their choice from Mesa Community College (MCC). Graduates from eligible schools can go to MCC for two years with Arizona resident tuition and fees fully funded.The program supports students who have not received enough financial aid or other scholarships to completely cover the cost of college.
Nearly 600 Mesa high school students have benefited from the Mesa College Promise program since its inception in 2021. College Promise students also receive a stipend each semester for up to two years to use for books, transportation or other educational expenses and have a dedicated MCC advisor to provide academic and personal support. Those wanting to learn more about the Mesa College Promise can visit mesacc.edu/mesa-promise.
GFiber is intentional in making investments that positively impact the communities we serve- supporting STEM, digital equity and digital literacy programs and initiatives. Find out more information about the local alliances and partnerships we have and projects we support here
Posted by Will Novak, Government and Community Affairs Manager
Source: Google Fiber Blog
Mesa pursues digital equity and literacy
This commitment is exactly why GFiber recently invested in furthering these goals with a $25,000 donation to the Mesa College Promise program. The money will go to students working to obtain an associate’s degree in the STEM field of their choice from Mesa Community College (MCC). Graduates from eligible schools can go to MCC for two years with Arizona resident tuition and fees fully funded.The program supports students who have not received enough financial aid or other scholarships to completely cover the cost of college.
Nearly 600 Mesa high school students have benefited from the Mesa College Promise program since its inception in 2021. College Promise students also receive a stipend each semester for up to two years to use for books, transportation or other educational expenses and have a dedicated MCC advisor to provide academic and personal support. Those wanting to learn more about the Mesa College Promise can visit mesacc.edu/mesa-promise.
GFiber is intentional in making investments that positively impact the communities we serve- supporting STEM, digital equity and digital literacy programs and initiatives. Find out more information about the local alliances and partnerships we have and projects we support here
Posted by Will Novak, Government and Community Affairs Manager
Source: Google Fiber Blog
Celebrating Digital Inclusion Week at GFiber
Google Fiber believes everyone deserves fast, reliable internet at an accessible price all year round. But this week is Digital Inclusion week- the perfect opportunity for us to reflect on some of the high-impact digital equity work that we are excited to be a part of! Join us as we celebrate the projects and partnerships that are getting more people connected to the amazing opportunities the internet provides.
Affordable high-speed internet: Access to high-quality internet is essential for every household, yet affordability is a challenge for many on the wrong side of the digital divide. That’s why we’ve been such strong supporters of the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, and why we are now offering 300 Meg for $30 a month to customers who are participating in this program. With the $30 subsidy through the FCC, this plan is available at no cost to our ACP customers. The need for the Affordable Connectivity Program has never been clearer. Over 20 million American households are using these funds to stay connected to work, school, family and more. That’s why Google Fiber has been encouraging Congress to renew funding for ACP. Reach out to your representatives to ask them to ensure this essential program continues to connect our country.
Digital literacy: We invest in digital literacy programs that empower people with the skills needed to navigate the online world. This year GFiber supported Des Moines, Iowa’s Shalom Community Impact Center’s digital literacy programming, helping immigrant families get connected to the critical resources needed to navigate their new home. In Nashville, Tennessee, we proudly supported the Nashville Cyber Seniors workshops, classes, and educational resources. And in Atlanta, Georgia, our partner Inspiredu provided over 3,500 hours of digital literacy training to community members.
Transformative partnerships: Many of our longtime partnerships are pioneers of sustainable and scalable community-based solutions. In 2015, we became a founding sponsor of NTEN’s Digital Inclusion Fellowship, a nationwide effort to build the capacity of local organizations to close the digital divide in their communities. In 2023, we are proud to sponsor 15 fellows in this year’s cohort of digital equity champions. PCs for People in Kansas City was one of our earliest community partners. This year, we launched a new partnership with this digital equity powerhouse to get low-cost internet to 4 affordable housing communities. And in North Carolina, our longtime partner E2D is bridging the device gap, distributing over 1,000 no-cost laptops to families in need when they need them most- before the start of the new school year.
Local alliances: We support foundations and coalitions who are tackling their community’s big challenges. We proudly support the Community of Huntsville Foundation’s Digital Equity Fund, which has invested in 33 digital equity programs across the city. In Austin, Texas, we supported Foundation Communities’ vision of creating “housing where families succeed” by providing residents with a no-cost laptop. In Arizona, Google Fiber joined the Mesa College Promise Program supporting the education of Mesa’s high school students for the first two years of college.
Innovative technologies: Innovation has always been at the heart of Google Fiber’s bold vision that everyone should have access to affordable internet. In the last three years, we’ve made tremendous strides, upgrading our products, services and network. This year, we launched GFiber Labs, dedicated to pushing the bounds of innovation and increasing our ability to serve more people in more places.
From digital navigators to policy makers, we are so proud to be part of a movement to bring better internet to more people. But Digital Inclusion week isn’t just about celebrating. It is also a chance to reflect on where we can continue to challenge ourselves and others to advance digital equity and inclusion in a meaningful way. (One more plug to encourage your representative to support ACP!) 2023 has been a year we are proud of, but there is so much work to be done and we are just getting started.
Posted By Jess George, Head of Digital Equity & Community Impact