City of Sacramento Passes Digital Inclusion Week Resolution
In early October, Valley Vision joined organizations across the nation to celebrate Digital Inclusion Week, an annual recognition week designed to advocate the importance of achieving digital equity for communities, celebrate digital inclusion achievements, and elevate local digital inclusion practices.
This year’s theme, “Stronger Together: Mobilizing Towards Sustainability,” emphasizes the importance of recognizing sustainability in partnerships and resources throughout the digital inclusion process in order to create a lasting impact towards digital equity.
Digital Inclusion Week Action
In support of this theme, Valley Vision, through the Capital Region Coalition for Digital Inclusion (CRCDI), conducted outreach support for Computers4Kids’ computer donation drive, in order to help connect with businesses and individuals in the region to donate their used devices in order to be refurbished.
The drive consisted of both a business outreach portion as well as a donation event at the Teen Center in West Sacramento on October 9th. Through business outreach, Computers4Kids secured a Computer Donation Partner arrangement with Quick Quack Car Wash. Quick Quack Car Wash provided several used desktop computers for the event, and committed to donating regularly in the future.
City of Sacramento Presents Digital Inclusion Week Resolution
On October 22nd, Valley Vision attended Sacramento City Council to accept the city’s Resolution acknowledging Digital Inclusion Week, presented by Councilmember Katie Valenzuela. The Resolution, developed in partnership with CRCDI, recognizes the longstanding commitment of CRCDI and its partner organizations in delivering digital inclusion support and services across the region, in order to bridge the digital divide.
Valley Vision was joined by partners across the region, including California State University, Sacramento, Computers4Kids, Sacramento Public Library, Sagent Marketing, United Way Connected Capital Region, and World Education. Kevin Flash, CRCDI Chair, and Dawnte Early, CEO of United Way California Capital Region and Valley Vision Board Member provided public comment during the presentation, highlighting the importance of continued partnerships in digital inclusion efforts and recognizing the city’s ongoing commitment to digital equity.
Valley Vision is thankful to the City of Sacramento for its longstanding commitment to supporting digital inclusion activities in the region, as well as leading recognition of Digital Inclusion Week within the Greater Sacramento Region. In October 2019, the City of Sacramento was the first within the region to pass this resolution, formally launching National Digital Inclusion Week in the region.
Digital Inclusion Week 2023
In support of 2023’s theme, “Building Connected Communities,” Valley Vision, as manager of the Capital Region Coalition for Digital Inclusion (CRCDI), hosted an Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment site at the Robla Family Festival on October 7th. As a result of the Coalition’s efforts, 50 households received the opportunity to inquire about or sign-up for ACP. Following the enrollment event, 4 households which signed-up for ACP were selected to receive a free laptop device.
As a part of CRCDI’s efforts for Digital Inclusion Week, Sacramento City Councilmembers Katie Valenzuela and Lisa Kaplan attended the Robla Family Festival to present the city’s Resolution acknowledging Digital Inclusion Week to Valley Vision, CRCDI, and United Way Connected Capital Region.
Investments Towards Equity: Supporting Device Access and Digital Literacy with Leataata Floyd Elementary School
Valley Vision, joined by community partners, announced a $50,000 digital equity grant award from AT&T that is being used for support device distribution and training. The AT&T Neighborhood Transformation Grant is supporting digital literacy and access to new computers for unserved and underserved residents of two public housing projects in the city of Sacramento, Marina Vista and Alder Grove.
Additionally, the grant is supporting the development of a Community Resource Center, with access to devices for families and a laptop lending program, to be managed by Leataata Floyd Elementary School. The Community Resource Center will feature digital literacy training provided by community partners.
As part of the grant, Valley Vision acquired 133 new laptop devices through partnership a with Human I-T. The next step for the project, led by Leataata Floyd Elementary and supported by Valley Vision and the Sacramento Housing and Development Agency, includes conducting a community needs survey, launching the Resource Center, and hosting the laptop distribution event.
Supporting Leataata Floyd Elementary School
The AT&T grant builds upon the investment of the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), to implement the School2Home project, initiated in 2015, at Leataata Floyd Elementary School, with the support of Valley Vision.
As the first elementary school in the state to join the program, School2Home helped to provide the infrastructure and support services needed to increase both student achievement and family success, including chromebooks for every student to use in school and at home; enhanced teacher professional development and training on integration of technology into instruction; increased parent engagement; and student Tech Expert Development. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for affordable high speed internet access at home, along with more devices for families.
Community Partners
Valley Vision is thankful for the support of our partners from the Office of Representative Doris Matsui, city of Sacramento Councilmember Katie Valenzuela, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, and the Food Literacy Center, in celebrating the launch of the AT&T project grant award.