AT&T, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Join Forces to Narrow the Digital Divide at Event

AT&T, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Join Forces to Narrow the Digital Divide at Event On Saturday, November 19^th, 2016 from 11:30AM – 3:00PM at the Fairgrounds Valley Community Room, 1015 West Jefferson Street, AT&T Will Help Rockford Families Living in HUD-Assisted Housing Learn About and Apply for Low-Cost Internet Service ROCKFORD, Ill., Nov. 17, 2016 — As a national stakeholder in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ConnectHome initiative, AT&T¹ will host an event on Saturday, November 19^th, 2016 to help inform area HUD residents about applying for a low-cost internet program, Access from AT&T. Access from AT&T provides eligible HUD residents access to internet speed tiers of 10Mbps² and 5Mbps for $10 a month, and internet speed tiers at 3Mbps, 1.5Mbps or 768Kbps for $5 a month. AT&T will also waive installation and internet equipment fees for participating households. AT&T will host the free event from 11:30AM – 3:00PM at the Fairgrounds Valley Community Room, 1015 West Jefferson Street, in Rockford. Attendees will get help applying for the service online and learn about digital literacy tools available on the AT&T Digital You portal. This is one of 30 informational events AT&T will host to help HUD-eligible residents in ConnectHome pilot communities located within AT&T’s 21-state wireline service area learn about how to apply for Access from AT&T. “We are thankful for the commitment of AT&T to offer a low-cost internet option for RHA residents. Ending the digital divide and connecting residents to modern portals for education, health and banking along with improved access to job opportunities are important and helps us fulfill our ConnectHome commitments,” said Ron Clewer, CEO of the Rockford Housing Authority. “I appreciate AT&T and their outreach to RHA residents at this Fairgrounds event.” Additionally, AT&T will provide up to 100 Udacity Nanodegree program scholarships to select participants in designated HUD communities. Nanodegree programs are self-paced, online curricula that provide students in-demand skills to help obtain tech-related jobs. Courses help students and job-seekers develop skills in areas such as web development, mobile development and data analytics. Learn more To learn more about Access from AT&T and see if you qualify, visit att.com/access. Or call 1-855-220-5211 for assistance in English or 1-855-220-5225 for assistance in Spanish. To learn more about the Nov. 19th event, contact Meggi Aspengren, 815-489-8596 ConnectHome is a platform for collaboration between local governments, public housing agencies, Internet service providers, philanthropic foundations, nonprofit organizations, and other relevant stakeholders that will produce local solutions for narrowing the digital divide. About Rockford Housing Authority A quality home is the foundation of society & community: quality home life provides hope and the pathway to our goals. Responsible and respectful people deserve the opportunity to contribute to attaining a comfortable quality home and neighborhood all can have pride in. RHA partners with the community and responsible and respectful families to transform houses into homes.   Program Contact: Meggie Aspengren Rockford Housing Authority Phone: 815-489-8596 Email: maspengren@rockfordha.org   Media please Contact with any additional questions: Ron Clewer Rockford Housing Authority Phone: 815-489-8750 Email: rclewer@rockfordha.org]]>