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WIRELESS HEADLINES: December 2007
The Wireless Movement is Growing
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(Left to right) Mayor Street; Alexis Brown, CWEP; Matt Cabrey, Shire; Greg Goldman, WP; Donovan West, People for People, Fred Anderson, Office of Re-Entry |
Leading by example, Shire Pharmaceuticals donated over 400 refurbished laptop computers to WP for our Digital Inclusion programs. Valued at an estimated $100,000, the refurbished laptops will be bundled with internet access, technical support and training and distributed to several of our Wireless Internet Partners. Examples of recipient organizations include The Mayor's Office for the Re-Entry of Ex-Offenders, People for People, The School District of Philadelphia's Office of Specialized Services, and The Community Women's Education Project.
"Shire Pharmaceuticals is proud to support Wireless Philadelphia with this donation of gently used and refurbished laptop computers and we hope that this inspires other companies to do the same," says Matt Cabrey, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Shire Pharmaceuticals. "This gift is an extension of Shire's passion for helping others, and we are proud to be able to have a positive impact on the lives of our neighbors right here in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia currently has one of the lowest broadband penetration rates in the U.S. This prevents many from accessing vital information about education, employment and health. Wireless Philadelphia is succeeding in addressing this challenge by raising runds to distribute T.E.A.C.H. (Training, Education, Access, Content and Hardware) bundles to low-income households across the city. In just over one year of operations, and with the network still under construction, WP has raised funds to provide T.E.A.C.H. bundles to hundreds of households. Funding is in place to serve several hundred more this fiscal year, and fundraising is ongoing.
Support from foundations and corporations continues to grow for WP and our Digital Inclusion programs with several major grants coming in this month. The Knight Foundation has committed funds for Digital Inclusion, the Subaru of America Foundation is funding a partnership between Wireless Philadelphia and MaST Community Charter School, and The Philadelphia Foundation is providing funding for organizational development. Many thanks to these and all our funders and supporters!
WP is currently working in partnership with over 30 community-based organizations to provide the T.E.A.C.H. bundle to their program participants.
Wireless Philadelphia has also established five standing signup locations for qualifying individuals. Starting last month, Philadelphia OIC and the Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School will host weekly signups. Please see the list on the righthand side of this page for all signup locations and dates.
Last month EarthLink announced that it will “consider its strategic alternatives for its municipal wireless business.” Regardless of what this means for EarthLink in the longer term, which at this point remains unclear, the network continues to be built and optimized, with roughly 80% of the City covered to date. Our responsibility is to make the most of the tremendous future value the network holds for the City of Philadelphia. It is important to note that any other other entity assuming operational control of the network in the future will also assume the obligations enumerated in the Network Agreement.
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(Left to right) Victoria Johnson and her mother Ann Barbour |
Victoria Johnson, an Elverson Military Academy student whose family is signed up for discounted internet service through Wireless Philadelphia, said, "In high school the Internet is so important. Just to get me in the push for college I really need the Internet in order for me to excel academically."
Her mother Ann Barbour said, "Now I don't have to worry about my daughter having to always go to the library. She's safe in her own home, in her own environment."
Ingrid Jackson, a Digital Inclusion customer, said that without Wireless Philadelphia "We'd all be fighting for computers at the library."
You can Make a Digital Difference TOO!
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