Written by Amy Ralls | May 13, 2022 4:00:00 AM
TAMPA, FL - May 12, 2022 - Community leaders at the federal, county and city level came together April 14, 2022 to discuss a half-million dollar federal grant awarded to the Tampa Housing Authority. The news conference, live-streamed by US Congresswoman Kathy Castor, explained how the “Connectivity for Prosperity” grant will help residents stay connected to the Internet. Prior to this federal grant, PBX-Change had already worked with the Tampa Housing Authority to bring internet to approximately 800 apartments and this will add close to 1,000 more. The grant expands our work to 3 newly constructed THA mixed income buildings and 5 existing ones to be retrofitted. Rebekah Nault, PBX-Change Business and Community Relations Representative, explained how our family-owned business became the Community Champion for this federal grant. The need for this program became painfully clear during the start of the coronavirus pandemic. In the final months of the 2020 school year and into the start of the 2021 school year, children were relying on the internet for at-home learning. As the workforce went to remote working, these internet connections became vital, practically overnight. Homebound senior citizens and Immunocompromised individuals were relying on these connections more than ever before. “The disconnection between access, education, prosperity, and resources, was largely dependent on broadband resources as well as wireless resources,” Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners Chairwoman Kimberly Overman said during the news conference. To see the
full news conference, click here.