RALEIGH, N.C., March 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The world will soon be more intimate and more connected for many senior adults in Raleigh, thanks to a $33,000 contribution from the AT&T* Foundation to support the city's Digital Connectors program.
The contribution was presented by Venessa Harrison, President of AT&T North Carolina, today as Raleigh's first gigabit-connected community center went online at the Tarboro Road Community Center and Saint Monica Teen Center, launching a new wave of high-speed Internet connectivity under the North Carolina Next Generation Network initiative.
"Advanced technology has been the catalyst for change in our world because of what it enables people to do," she said. "We are excited to support the Digital Connectors program because, not only is it connecting generations, but it is expanding horizons and opening new opportunities for seniors and for the young adults who are their instructors in this new digital world."
Launched in 2010, the Raleigh Digital Connectors program engages young people, ages 14-21, in an intensive training program to help participants learn skills for succeeding in the 21st century workplace. Modules include leadership principles, coding, gaming, financial literacy and civic journalism. Each Digital Connector commits to 60 hours of community service, teaching members of the community how to use computers and the Internet.
"Over the past five years, 103 Digital Connectors have helped nearly 3,000 people become members of today's digital society," said Gail M. Roper, Chief Information Officer of the City of Raleigh and founder of Raleigh's Digital Connector program. "Through this multigenerational approach, we have seen a sense of understanding and appreciation grow between the Connectors and the seniors whom they have taught. The program is helping build a culture that embraces technology and civic engagement. We are excited about the impact the program has already had in the community and look forward to the difference it will make in the future."
Selected as the vendor for the NCNGN initiative, AT&T has deployed a 100 percent fiber network that delivers U-verse® with AT&T GigaPowerSM service, offering customers access to the fastest Internet available from AT&T, featuring speeds up to 1 gigabit per second and award-winning U-verse TV.** More information can be found at att.com/gigapower.
About Philanthropy and Social Innovation at AT&T
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. In 2013, more than $130 million was contributed or directed through corporate-, employee-, social investment- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T's signature education initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions of people and businesses around the globe stay connected through leading wireless, high-speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. We're helping people mobilize their worlds with state-of-the-art communications, entertainment services and amazing innovations like connected cars and devices for homes, offices and points in between. Our U.S. wireless network offers customers the nation's strongest LTE signal and the nation's most reliable 4G LTE network. We offer the best global wireless coverage***. We're improving how our customers stay entertained and informed with AT&T U-verse® TV and High Speed Internet services. And businesses worldwide are serving their customers better with AT&T's mobility and highly secure cloud solutions.
Additional information about AT&T products and services is available at http://about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att.
About NCNGN
North Carolina Next Generation Network (NCNGN) is a regional initiative focused on stimulating the deployment of next generation broadband networks in North Carolina. The coordinated effort is led by six municipalities and four leading research universities and supported by local Chambers of Commerce and businesses in the Research Triangle and Piedmont regions. NCNGN's goal is to encourage private sector providers to deliver ultra-fast bandwidth at highly affordable prices to ensure our regions and state remain competitive and at the forefront of developing the next-generation applications essential to all sectors of the economy. http://ncngn.net
© 2015 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
**Speed/time estimates are examples. Internet speed claims represent maximum network service capability speeds. Actual customer speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. Actual speeds vary based on factors including site traffic, content provider server capacity, internal network management factors, customer device capabilities and use of other U-verse services. For more information, go to www.att.com/speed101
***Global coverage claim based on offering voice and LTE data roaming in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier, and offering the most wireless smartphones and tablets that work in the most countries.
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.