For Immediate Release
Powerful Partnership To Expand Mount Hope Housing Co.'s Mission of Providing Inexpensive Technology To Its South Bronx Residents
Mount Hope Showcased as Verizon Avenue and One Economy Announce Partnership to Provide High Speed Internet Access, Computers and Training to Low-Income Neighborhoods
Bronx, NY (October 15, 2004) Mount Hope Housing Co. Inc., one of New York City’s first non-profit community development organizations to provide its residents with affordable Internet access, computers and computer training, will get a huge boost from a new national partnership. Announced today, Verizon Avenue and One Economy Corporation are coordinating efforts to bridge the technology gap in low-income areas across the country.
Mount Hope will serve as the first model of the national joint endeavor by One Economy, a nationwide nonprofit that promotes broadband access for low-income housing residents, and Verizon Avenue, a subsidiary of Verizon and a leading provider of packaged data and voice communications services for apartment buildings, condominiums and offices. Residents of Mount Hope Housing Company, Inc.’s 1,250 low-income units will be beneficiaries of a soup-to-nuts technology initiative that will wire all Mount Hope Housing units for high speed Internet access – and ultimately, digital cable and phone services – for a modest fee considerably below market price. A second goal is to provide residents with the opportunity to buy vastly discounted new computers. Free training programs will teach residents how to use their new computers and to navigate the Internet. Extended software and hardware training will be offered to residents who would, in turn, use their skills to help Mount Hope residents with technical problems as on-site technicians.
“Universal access to technology is a cornerstone of community sustainability and one of Mount Hope Housing’s most important goals,” said Shaun M. Belle, CEO and President of Mount Hope Housing Co., Inc. “The ideal partnership of Verizon Avenue and One Economy will give a significant leg up to low-income communities like the South Bronx. We’re thrilled that Mount Hope will be the first demonstrator of this joint commitment to bridge the digital divide and provide inexpensive technology and support to low-income neighborhoods.”
Making the announcement at the press conference in Manhattan today will be FCC Chairman Michael Powell; Bill Wallace, CEO of Verizon Avenue; Rey Ramsey, CEO of One Economy and Shaun M. Belle, CEO and President of Mount Hope Housing.
Mount Hope Housing had already begun wiring its buildings, using One Economy’s web portal called The Beehive (www.thebeehive.org ), a multilingual information source that the Brookings Institution calls the de facto standard for online outreach to low-income
communities. Verizon Avenue will augment or build the infrastructure and cover maintenance and operations support for Mount Hope tenants.
“This is a win-win situation,” said Belle. “Children and youth will gain a technology edge at school. Residents can look for jobs, get informed, access services, get competitive pricing on goods, and improve communications. Trained residents can take their new software and hardware skills to the marketplace as well as improve the Mount Hope infrastructure. It’s a beautiful model of how to encourage sustainability in our community.”
Media Contact: Lynn Honeysett, Honeysett Communications, 914 576 7747 or 262-3371
Sarah Studeny, Mount Hope Housing: 718 299 7177 X23
About Mt. Hope Housing Co., Inc: Founded in 1986 in response to the deterioration of the Mount Hope community of the Bronx, Mount Hope Housing Co., Inc. is a community development organization that provides affordable housing as well as youth services, employment and job training, real estate development as well as family asset-building programs towards the goal of a sustainable community. www.mounthopehousing.org
About Verizon Avenue
Verizon Avenue, a subsidiary of Verizon Communications, bundles local and long-distance service together with high-speed Internet access for residents of multifamily communities. Verizon Avenue offers service to high-rise properties, apartments and condominium communities in most of the major metropolitan markets including Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York, Tampa and Washington, D.C. For more information about Verizon Avenue, visit www.verizon.com/avenue.
About Verizon Communications
A Dow 30 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services, with approximately $68 billion in annual revenues. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and circulation. Verizon's international presence includes wireline and wireless communications operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.
About One Economy Corporation
One Economy Corporation is a national nonprofit founded in 2000 that utilizes technology to help low-income people improve their standard of living. One Economy’s strategy is to bring technology into the home, provide online multilingual content through The Beehive (www.thebeehive.org), and facilitate computer literacy. One Economy’s recently launched national Bring IT Home campaign promotes state-
level public policy change to make high-speed Internet connectivity a standard practice. Honorary Co-Chairs Majority Leader Senator Bill Frist and Minority Leader Senator Tom Daschle serve as Bring IT Home national campaign leaders. More information about One Economy, Bring IT Home and its other programs and partners may be found at www.one-economy.com.