HOULTON, Maine – To help provide equitable learning access and opportunities and keep local youth connected, UScellular has donated 150 wireless hotspots and two years of service, valued at $168,900, to Hope & Justice Project as part of its After School Access Project. UScellular’s After School Access Project provides free mobile hotspots and service to nonprofits that support youth after the school day has ended and provides safe internet access for homework and education.
The hotspots provided to Hope & Justice Project connect to UScellular’s wireless network to provide high-speed connectivity for families in their homes.
“The success and safety of families in the communities we serve is very important to us at UScellular,” said Brandi McCune, director of sales and operations for UScellular in New England. “Connecting people and communities is our mission and the After School Access Project is just one way that we’re helping ensure that families have the reliable access they need to grow and pursue their dreams.”
The mission of the Hope & Justice Project is to serve the needs of survivors of domestic, dating, and sexual abuse and violence and to work with the community to end abuse in Aroostook County. To create a violence-free world, the needs of children must also be recognized. Children who grow up in violence often suffer from confusion, stress, and trauma. Children have the right to safety, food, shelter, education, love, and respect. They have the right to live free from abuse. Children have the right to information to make choices and to have their ideas and opinions valued. The Hope & Justice Project operates three family shelters that provide housing to survivors and their children. The organization also provides advocacy, support services, safety planning, group support, disability services, and bilingual services. More information about the Hope & Justice Project can be found at https://www.hopeandjusticeproject.org/.
“These hotspots will help us address the isolation and control abusers can have over survivors and their children,” said Krissy Beaton, residential services coordinator for Hope & Justice Project. “We intend to lend the hotspots to survivors to provide them with reliable, safe, and private access to the internet, so they can move forward in reestablishing their lives.”
Since 2021, the company has donated more than $12 million supporting over 100 organizations with hotspots and service nationwide. In early 2023, UScellular extended its pledge and committed up to $13 million in new funding to the program.
Eligible 501c3 nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply by going to www.AfterSchoolAccessProject.com:
* Certified 501c3 nonprofit organizations
* Operate within UScellular’s service area
* Focused on kindergarten through 12th grade
* Not a school or government entity
UScellular is focused on addressing gaps in STEM education and is committed to connecting more than 200,000 of tomorrow’s innovators each year with the resources they need today to help shape future opportunities. Since 2009, UScellular has invested more than $35 million in monetary donations, technology resources and countless experiences to nonprofit organizations across the country.
For more information about the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives, please go to https://newsroom.uscellular.com/community/.
UScellular is the fourth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to help customers stay connected to the things that matter most. The Chicago-based carrier provides a strong, reliable network supported by the latest technology and offers a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers’ lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. Through its After School Access Project, the company has pledged to provide hotspots and service to help up to 50,000 youth connect to reliable internet. Additionally, UScellular has price protected all of its plans, promising not to increase prices through at least the end of 2024. To learn more about UScellular, visit one of its retail stores or www.uscellular.com. To get the latest news, visit newsroom.uscellular.com.
