Today GitHub is proud to host the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Julián Castro, at our SF office. We are thrilled to welcome him, his senior staff, community organizations, tech company workers, and representatives from EveryoneOn, the national non-profit leader of ConnectHome.
ConnectHome stands alone as the first project of its kind. A public-private sector partnership, ConnectHome will initially connect more than 102,000 low-income households – and nearly 200,000 children – living in public housing with high speed broadband wireless Internet and tech tools for digital innovation.
As Chike Aguh from EveryoneOn stated at GitHub Universe, “Talent is universal, but opportunity is not.”
Growing up, many of us working in tech had a home Internet connection and a computer which jump-started our ability to be part of this sector: Currently, 1 in 4 US households do not have a home internet connection. This digital divide primarily affects low-income residents of color and has devastating effects on education and job attainment. Bridging the digital divide is a necessary ingredient to break generational cycles of poverty. GitHub understands this and we’re proud to be in on the ground floor of ConnectHome.
An investment in ConnectHome is an investment in the future of innovation. We will all reap the benefits of a country where everyone is connected and one in which those most impacted by systemic inequity will be the engineers, creators, leaders, and innovators of the tech sector. We fully expect to hire from this talent pool, and are ready and excited to support the genius on the ground.
Today we are proud to announce that we are doubling down on our financial commitment to ConnectHome - now $500,000 - along with $3 million in product and thousands of hours of staff time to help make this a reality. But we need your help: Join us in being part of this historic initiative.
Donate to the individual giving campaign to help every ConnectHome household with children get a device. Spread the word through your networks.
Today GitHub’s CEO, Chris Wanstrath, is issuing a challenge to our friends in the tech sector: Join us in putting dollars behind this momentous project. Contact us (ConnectHome@github.com) to become a company sponsor of ConnectHome.