Broadband

The pandemic exacerbated many long-standing inequities, perhaps none so acutely as internet access. Learning, healthcare, employment and social services of all kinds were (and still are) in many cases only available online. Without connectivity and/or devices and/or digital literacy families and students are isolated. TCM and our partners believe that broadband adoption (connectivity, devices and literacy) is essential. Education, wellbeing AND economic prosperity are fully dependent on high quality access and digital proficiency.

The Fresno Coalition for Digital Inclusion (FCDI) is a cross-sector collaboration being led by Fresno County and Fresno Unified School District. The membership also includes The City of Fresno, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, Valley Children’s Hospital, Fresno Cradle to Career, Fresno State, Fresno Housing, State Center Community College District, United Way of Fresno and Madera, Central California Legal Services and multiple community-based organizations.

FCDI is committed to solving the middle-mile infrastructure, mapping, quality of connection challenges AND the last-mile connectivity, device and literacy challenges at the same time.

As part of the last-mile effort TCM is leading the Digital Literacy Coalition. This group includes Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE), Reading and Beyond, Youth Leadership Institute, Every Neighborhood Partnership, West Fresno Family Resource Center, Cultiva la Salud, Children’s Services Network, GO Public Schools and United Way. The group is collaboratively working on a funding proposal for community and household level supports in rural and urban areas.