T-Mobile, as part of its Hometown Grants program, will be giving up to $50,000 to each of 25 recipients, it announced this week. The grants are being awarded to small towns and rural areas in support of local development projects intended to rejuvenate their communities.
Since the start of the Hometown Grants program, T-Mobile has awarded more than $16 million in grants to 375 communities in 48 states and Puerto Rico. The company said Hometown Grants also has inspired over 150,000 volunteer hours among people who want to better their communities.
“When we started Hometown Grants nearly four years ago, we knew T-Mobile could make a real difference in small towns across the country, but the impact has exceeded all expectations,” Jon Freier, president of T-Mobile Consumer Group, said in the company’s announcement.
“With this latest round of grants, communities will be able to fund everything from new fire hose technology to expanded food pantry space — creating important, life-changing improvements for the people who call these towns home.”
The latest awardees include these towns and projects, among others:
- Hershey, Pennsylvania: Enhance and modernize the learning spaces at Vista Autism Services with upgraded classroom designs, new furniture, and other improvements.
- Kingston, Massachuseetts: Update Kingston Public Library lobby, replacing 27-year-old furnishings and making the space ADA compliant.
- Attalla, Alabama: Build a dedicated walking trail at District 2 to foster a sense of community, encourage physical activity and combat health issues related to sedentary lifestyles.
- Drew, Mississippi: Design and install seven freedom markers, honoring historical sites and people involved in the Civil Rights movement.
- Calexico, California: Install new fire hose technology at the Calexico Fire Department, allowing more water to be put on a fire while exerting less resistance to the firefighter applying the water.
T-Mobile’s partnership with nonprofit Main Street America has made the Hometown Grants program possible, the organizations described. Grant applications are evaluated based on criteria such as detail, feasibility, community impact, and other factors.
T-Mobile also has awarded nearly $4 million to small businesses through Hometown Grants, in support of projects such as revitalizing farmers markets, launching business incubators, and improving main streets.
A recent round of Hometown Grants recipients was announced last September.
Another worthy venture is Charter Communications’ Spectrum Digital Education program. Last September the company awarded 66 nonprofit organizations a total of $1.3 million in digital equity education grants.
Some of the recipients included The Ladder Alliance of Fort Worth, Texas, to offer workforce development and computer skills programs to low-income women and survivors of domestic violence; as well as United Fund for Western Orleans County Inc. in Albion, New York, to provide free tech tutoring, including scam prevention and internet safety programs, for seniors.
