The Brownsville Community Foundation was created in 1997 to provide an enduring, sustainable structure for encouraging local philanthropy and improving the lives of people in Brownsville.
The Foundation created a permanent endowment, with the income used to improve the health, education, and quality of life in Brownsville.
Most importantly, the foundation provides a convenient, efficient vehicle for individuals, families and corporations who want to give back to their community, through the formation of a Donor Advised Fund - which offers some of the absolute best tax exemptions available under the law for charitable giving.
Since 1997 the Brownsville Community Foundation has had the mission statement of: Preserving the past, sustaining the present, and embracing the Future.
The general community conviction is that our future lies as a region…a region with one voice and an overriding goal of collaboration.
That long standing mission statement has led us to expand the foundation to the entire Rio Grande Valley Region.
As a catalyst for positive change, the Foundation has always and will always continue to build on the strengths that already exist in our region, and to target new and exciting programs with the potential to address important local challenges that affect the entire Rio Grande Valley.
Reflecting a regional purpose, we are proud to announce that our new name will be: The Rio Grande Valley Philanthropic Foundation
We are here today to tell you about the very first local challenge that the Regional Foundation is addressing. That challenge is the lack of connectivity for a very large percentage of the population of the Rio Grande Valley.
The Foundation will be the facilitator of the Educational Technology Program for the Rio Grande Valley through Public Wireless Company.
This is not a permanent solution to the problem of establishing local broadband service. This program in no way competes with the building of a broadband service for our region.
But what this program does do is to provide immediate and free connectivity through tablets with SIM card that provide broadband service completely free to all of the eligible students, veterans, and underprivileged in the RGV community who care to apply for it.
Eligibility is income based. The program is completely funded through the FCC and grants or donations for at least the next five years.
In the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Congress appropriated $3.2 billion to the FCC to help low-income households pay for broadband service and connected internet devices called The Emergency Broadband Benefit, it was temporary.
However, it did so well, it transitioned to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) beginning December 31, 2021. The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps households afford and access the broadband internet connectivity they need for work, school, healthcare, and other essential needs.
Then to expand the knowledge base and to reach additional markets, the FCC reached out to private entities like Public Wireless- a thirty-year wireless company.
Public Wireless, using the current Affordable Connectivity Program as a foundation, has developed The Educational Technology Program (ETP).
Instead of households getting a discount for broadband services and devices, now they pay nothing.
he RGV Philanthropic Foundation is the local facilitator for the Educational Technology Program.
This is what is included in the ETP completely free of charge for qualified applicants:
· 10” Tablet with a Hardcase Cover.
· SIM Card that provides 24/7 LTE Broadband Internet Service.
· Repair Program – if broken or damaged, send it in and we will send a brand-new replacement.
· 24/7 Tech Support and Customer Service.
· An automatic new and updated tablet each year that the program exists
Through the ETP, there is absolutely no responsibility, cost, or strings attached for the recipients. There is never a bill and they will own the tablet.
To Qualify for the ETP a member of the household only needs to meet any one of the criteria listed on the application -- for example: SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, Lifeline etc.
Connectivity is like a pen and paper…or a book…was in times gone by.
Our present and our future are now irrevocably interwoven with the world wide web.
By providing connectivity to those who have not had access to it right now, immediately…even as we wait for permanent local broadband to be established…will absolutely change lives.
The RGV Philanthropic Foundation is so very proud to celebrate our long relationship with Brownsville ISD by beginning the Educational Technology Program here!
Point Isabel ISD will be the next entity to partner with the foundation so that their students can participate as well. If your child is a student at any BISD school or any Port Isabel School, you need to use the applications from those school districts.
Anyone else interested in participating can go to our website to access the application.
You can go to either Brownsville Community Foundation.org or RGVPF.org.
You can email us for more information at RGVfreeinternet@gmail.com.
Editor's Note: The above guest column was penned by Diane Milliken Garza, executive director of the Rio Grande Valley Philanthropic Foundation, which used to be called the Brownsville Community Foundation. The column was originally penned for a speech the author gave at Morningside Elementary School in Brownsville, Texas. Milliken Garza can be reached by email via: dmgarzaphd@gmail.com.
