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The former Brownsville Community Foundation announced a free program Monday to provide tablet-based internet connectivity to Brownsville Independent School District students — as the Rio Grande Valley Philanthropic Foundation — and to low-income Valley residents.
The foundation announced the re-branding during a news conference at Morningside Elementary in Brownsville, where it also announced it will be the facilitator for an Educational Technology Program for the Valley through Public Wireless Company.
The foundation announced it was changing its name to Rio Grande Valley Philanthropic Foundation to reflect a more regional focus.
The developments mean that any BISD student, as well as veterans and low-income Valley residents who meet criteria can receive a 10-inch tablet computer with a SIM card to immediately connect to the internet, foundation CEO Diane Milliken Garza said at the news conference.
“We are here today to tell you about the very first local challenge that the regional foundation is addressing. That challenge is the lack of connectivity for a very large percentage of the population of the Rio Grande Valley,” she said.
“This is not a permanent solution to the problem of establishing local broadband service. This program in no way competes with the building of a broadband service for our region,” Garza said. “But what this program does do, is … provide immediate and free connectivity through tablets with (a) SIM card that provide broadband service completely free to all of the eligible students, veterans and underprivileged in the RGV community who care to apply for it.”
Garza likened internet connectivity to access to pen and paper or the public library in times past.
Garza and BISD officials awarded the tablets to several Morningside students amid a pep rally-like atmosphere where the students were urged to utilize the devices as a powerful tool for learning.
Eligibility is income based. The program is completely funded through the FCC and grants or donations for at least the next five years, Garza went on to say.
In the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Congress appropriated $3.2 billion to the FCC to help low-income households pay for broadband service and connected internet devices called The Emergency Broadband Benefit, but it was temporary.
“However, it did so well, it transitioned to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) beginning December 31, 2021. The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps households afford and access the broadband internet connectivity they need for work, school, health care, and other essential needs.
Then to expand the knowledge base and to reach additional markets, the FCC reached out to private entities like Public Wireless — a 30-year wireless company.
Public Wireless, using the current Affordable Connectivity Program as a foundation, has developed The Educational Technology Program (ETP).
Instead of households getting a discount for broadband services and devices, now they pay nothing.
The RGV Philanthropic Foundation is the local facilitator for the Educational Technology Program.
This is what is included in the ETP completely free of charge for qualified applicants:
>> A 10-inch tablet computer with a hard case cover.
>> A SIM card that provides 24/7 LTE broadband internet service.
>> A repair program — if broken or damaged, send it in and they will send a brand-new replacement.
>> 24/7 tech support and customer service.
>> An automatic new and updated tablet each year that the program exists.
Through the ETP, there is absolutely no responsibility, cost or strings attached for the recipients. There is never a bill and they will own the tablet.
To qualify for the ETP, a member of the household only needs to meet any one of the criteria listed on the application — for example: SNAP, Medicaid, federal public housing assistance, SSI, WIC, Lifeline, information provided at the event indicated.
Benita Villarreal, BISD Career and Technical Education director, said all BISD students qualify for the tablets because all district students qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches and thus receive the benefit.
“Our present and our future are now irrevocably interwoven with the world wide web. By providing connectivity to those who have not had access to it right now, immediately — even as we wait for permanent local broadband to be established — will absolutely change lives,” Garza said.
Point Isabel ISD will be the next entity to partner with the foundation, she said.
“If your child is a student at any BISD school or any Port Isabel school, you need to use the applications from those school districts. Anyone else interested in participating can go to our website to access the application,” she said.
For further information, visit the Brownsville Community Foundation’s website RGVPF.org or email [email protected]
