Mission: Tech Goes Home empowers communities to access and use digital tools to overcome barriers and advance lives.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Growth & Impact at Tech Goes Home
- Vote Today in the Boston Preliminary Municipal Election
- Advocacy Updates: Boston's Mayoral Race
- Partnership Spotlight: MakeIT Haverhill
- Stories from TGH Graduates
- Comcast Supports Senior Learners with Laptops, Funding
- TGH in the News
- Digital Inclusion Reading Round-Up
- The Emergency Broadband Benefit
- Stay Connected with TGH through Social Media
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GROWTH & IMPACT AT TECH GOES HOME |
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This fall, Tech Goes Home is excited to offer a combination of distance learning and in-person programming throughout our Eastern Massachusetts service area! Sites hosting courses include long-time partners who have been working with Tech Goes Home for many years, as well as new organizations such as Building Our Lives Together As One, Little Star of Ours, Mount Olives Community Center, and MACIR, among others. We look forward to launching our Essex County expansion by the end of 2021 in collaboration with new partner sites like MakeIT Haverhill, Lawrence Community Works, and the North Shore Community Development Coalition.
We recently finished up our annual follow-up survey, which demonstrated how graduates have used the digital skills, devices, and internet they gained through TGH to weather the ongoing pandemic. For example, 1,771 graduates report that they’ve been able to access telehealth appointments because of TGH, and 683 graduates got a new job after completing the course.
Through the survey, graduates also shared stories with us that highlight their resiliency, unique talents and strengths, and dedication to applying their digital skills in their lives and careers. TGH Graduate Zinnat shared: “The TGH course is helpful for our entire family. By learning computer skills, I can now prepare my child for school. The first thing I plan to do with my computer skills is teach my son.”
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VOTE TODAY IN THE BOSTON PRELIMINARY MUNICIPAL ELECTION
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If you are registered to vote in Boston, be sure to head to your polling location today by 8pm to cast your votes for mayor and city council. To check your registration status and find your polling location, visit www.boston.gov/voting-boston.
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ADVOCACY UPDATES: BOSTON'S MAYORAL RACE |
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Tech Goes Home asked Boston's mayoral candidates about their plans for digital equity. We're excited to share all five of the candidates' video responses with the TGH community! |
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At TGH, we're continuing to grow our advocacy work to advance digital equity at the policy level. Earlier this summer, TGH's Director of Advocacy, Marvin L. Venay, testified at the Joint Hearing of Joint Ways and Means & House Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight advocating for the importance of allocating funds for digital inclusion initiatives. Watch here: https://youtu.be/rmW15R3RbDc
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PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHT: MAKEIT HAVERHILL |
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Tech Goes Home is excited to announce our partnership with MakeIT Haverhill, a grassroots organization in Haverhill of Essex County. A project of Community Action, Inc., this volunteer-led organization connects residents with social services, English language programming, life skills, technology, and employment opportunities. Together, we are working to connect more people in Haverhill with the digital tools and skills training they need to access education, employment and other opportunities opened by the digital world. Our partnership is putting an emphasis on multilingual programming to ensure there are as few barriers as possible to pursuing our digital literacy courses. We have great respect for all the change MakeIT Haverhill is sparking in their community and we are thrilled to be a part of that by expanding our programming to their city. |
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STORIES FROM TGH GRADUATES |
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Over the summer, many Tech Goes Home graduates submitted videos discussing their experience participating in the TGH program and how they have used the digital skills, devices, and internet access they gained in their daily lives. Hear from two graduates, Dolores and Marcella, below: |
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TGH graduates Dolores and Marcella discuss how digital access has impacted their lives. |
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To view more videos from TGH graduates, visit our YouTube channel. Thank you to everyone who shared their story by creating a video!
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COMCAST SUPPORTS SENIOR LEARNERS WITH LAPTOPS, FUNDING |
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Comcast highlights TGH instructors and graduates at Blue Ledge Co-op |
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Tech Goes Home is grateful to our partners at Comcast for donating 500 laptops to support older adults who are participating in the TGH program. In addition to the donated technology, Comcast also awarded TGH a grant to support our programs for seniors.
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DIGITAL INCLUSION READING ROUND-UP |
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THE EMERGENCY BROADBAND BENEFIT |
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The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is an FCC program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. You may be eligible for a discount on your monthly broadband service or the one-time purchase of a new device. Find more information on the EBB, eligibility guidelines, and the application process at https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit.
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Follow us on social media for more news, resources, and updates.
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Tech Goes Home’s work is only possible with contributions from donors, like you, and municipal, corporate, and foundation grants. Thank you for supporting TGH.
An extra thank you to the following lead donors for their extraordinary support!
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