March 10, 2010

Latino Community Foundation Will Invest Nearly $1,000,000 to Increase Broadband Awareness and Adoption in the Latino Community

Eight Community Organizations from 5 Bay Area Counties will participate in the project

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (March 10, 2010) — The Latino Community Foundation (LCF) has been awarded nearly $1,000,000 to promote broadband awareness and adoption in low-income Latino communities in the Bay Area. LCF will mobilize a network of 8 community-based organizations to provide digital literacy training to 8,320 limited-English speaking families in 5 Bay Area counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.

Approximately $800,000 of the award comes from the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, a federal program of the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) that is funded by the Recovery Act.  LCF also received just under $100,000 from the California Emerging Technology Fund and another $85,000 from AT&T Foundation and Comcast Foundation.

“The Latino Community Foundation is proud to be part of state-wide efforts to bring technology into low-income households, particularly for Latino families,” said Raquel Donoso, Executive Director of the Latino Community Foundation. “Latino families have the lowest rates of broadband use at home in the region, which directly impacts their learning and income opportunities.  By increasing the number of Latinos in the Bay Area who access the Internet, we are providing families with 21^st century tools to improve their lives and opportunities.”

“The California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) is pleased that the U.S. Department of Commerce is a co-investor in breaking down the barriers to broadband adoption in California,” said Sunne McPeak, President and CEO of CETF.

Read about the project here.

 For media inquiries contact Raquel Donoso, (415) 733-8526