Many Low Income Philadelphia Families Set to Receive Free Internet At the Most Needed of Times

By Michael Castro

If you are wondering what is going to happen to the less fortunate students during this pandemic and the shift to online learning, one community has provided a solution. Through a public-private venture, 35,000 families are set to receive free internet in Philadelphia.

Many classrooms remained closed and those with zero or poor internet service are at risk of falling behind in their education.

The program, known as PHLConnectED, will provide 2 years of high-speed internet, without any out-of-pocket expenses or installation fees. for eligible families.

Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney called it a “transformational moment” and said that the program will go a long way to closing the gap in digital learning, where lower income families are at a major disadvantage.

Obtaining the up-to-date technology is also a major issue, so the program aims to ensure that K-12 public school students have the necessary devices to do their school work, as well as provide technical support.

Private foundations will cover most of the expenses. This includes $7 million from the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation, $1 million each from the William Penn Foundation and Philadelphia School Partnership, and others. The city will use $2 million in local CARES Act funding, without dipping into its general fund, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Hopefully other communities nation and worldwide will model this endevor, as the world tries to tackle one of our biggest problems: ensuring the good education of our children.

This story had contributions from Good News Network.