At the Transformation Center, a community outreach center in Baltimore’s Brooklyn neighborhood, a growing number of residents line up for food, diapers, and other essentials. Since the pandemic began, it’s been a common scene across the United States, but at the Transformation Center, there’s a notable exception. As clients get in line for what is often a 45-minute wait, they pull out their mobile phones, ready to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. The Transformation Center is one of the seven locations for the network. Since 2020, the Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed through a partnership to reach the city’s most underserved neighborhoods.
Impact / Outcome
The team started by connecting the City of Refuge community center in November 2020, which serves more than 700 clients per week for food services alone.
Many of the hotspots were strategically placed in safe spaces that provide valuable resources to the community. The team works with community organizations to identify where to install the free Wi-Fi hotspots.
The community Wi-Fi hotspots currently serve some 2,000 people per week. Once the home expansion is complete, they’re expected to able to reach more than 6,000 per month.
Funding sources
Private
Key Metrics
Expanding digital access and training to reach the Baltimore’s most underserved neighborhoods
Operating model
Fully privateYear published
01 January 2021