Thunderbirds Charities Helps to Bridge the Digital Divide
Thunderbirds Charities awarded $150,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley (BGCAZ) to fund their “Bridging the Digital Divide” project. BGCAZ will use the money to upgrade the technology at 24+ Clubs throughout the Valley. BGCAZ’s technology and infrastructure team will use these funds to upgrade campus-wide Wi-Fi, update routers and firewalls for increased speed and Internet security.
“Thunderbirds Charities has supported Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley in so many ways over the years, and they were one of the very first to step up to support our operations during the pandemic. This crisis revealed the critical need for us to invest in our digital infrastructure to support our students,” said Marcia Mintz, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley. “Having 100+ students log in for distance learning every day, in every Club, revealed the gaps we had in our technology and security systems. This investment will help support our members’ secure connections to their classrooms and to our programs.”
Recently BGCAZ held a ribbon-cutting for their Cox Innovation Lab at the Thunderbirds Branch in Guadalupe. With the support of Cox Communications and the Arizona Cardinals, the lab features robotics, 3D printing, a music studio, virtual reality, gaming, computers, and more.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley offers affordable after-school and summer programs for young people in grades K-12. BGCAZ provides award-winning programs designed to change the lives of young people. For 75 years, BGCAZ has been creating equity for youth through academic, social, and workforce opportunities. We help young people make healthy decisions and focus on social and emotional development to build resilient young adults. Most importantly, we work to develop strong character and leadership skills by creating positive connections to caring adults and their community
BGCAZ is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.
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