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Ohio School System to Give 150 Families Computers, Internet

The Toledo Public Schools initiative is a collaboration between the district, the Lucas County Metropolitan Housing Authority and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.



(TNS) — Toledo Public Schools announced Thursday that it will give 150 families desktop computers along with free Internet service for three months.

The initiative is a collaboration between the district, the Lucas County Metropolitan Housing Authority, and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Housing and Urban Development’s ConnectHomeUSA initiative partners housing authorities with other entities to provide technology to families living in low-income communities.

LMHA joined forces with PCs for People — based in Cleveland — and Mobile Beacon to distribute the computers to students at Ella P. Stewart Academy for Girls, Martin Luther King Academy for Boys, and Jones Leadership Academy of Business.

Joanna White, 47, said Thursday the donation will improve her family’s daily routine. She has five children, with daughters attending Ella P. Stewart and Jones academies. Prior to Thursday’s announcement, she said, her evenings were consumed with trips to the library.

“Now I don’t have to pack everybody up in the van and take that time to go to the library and sit there and wait for a computer to be available,” she said. “They can be at home doing their homework while I’m in the kitchen washing dishes, cooking dinner, and having family time. It’s going to help with the education process, but it’s also going to help with home life as well because we’ll have more time to be together.”

Ms. White, president of Jones’ Parent Teacher Organization, said the initiative will help many families by providing affordable Internet access through wireless hot spots. The first three months are free, and then the service costs families $16 a month.

“So it’s very affordable for all of our low-income families to be able to keep up with the hot spot,” Ms. White said.

©2019 The Blade (Toledo, Ohio). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.