Boys & Girls Club receives $17,500 from AT&T

AT&T contributed $17,500 to the Boys & Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County as part of its commitment to narrow the digital divide in underserved communities.

The club, which operates centers in Polson, Ronan and St. Ignatius, plans to use the funds to ensure that every young person they serve is better equipped “to confidently and safely navigate living in a digital world.”

“Access to technology and digital resources is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity,” said the organization’s CEO, Aric Cooksley, in a recent press release. “AT&T’s contribution will support the youth and teens we serve by shrinking the gap faced when dealing with digital safety, literacy and confidence.”

The club provides robust after school programming to elementary, middle, and high school young people in Polson, Ronan, St Ignatius and surrounding areas. The young people they serve receive programming filled with age-appropriate activities that fall into core program areas of Character & Leadership Development, Health and Life Skills, Art and Culture, Sports, Recreation and Fitness and Education and Career Development.

“The Boys & Girls Club serves a critical role for youth across the Mission Valley,” said Montana State Senator Greg Hertz (SD-7), who advocated for the grant. “It’s great to see AT&T supporting this terrific nonprofit and the youth they serve.”

Tara Thue of AT&T said the telecommunications giant “is proud to support the Boys & Girls Club of Flathead Reservation and Lake County to help close the digital equity gap in Montana.” 

This contribution is a part of the AT&T Connected Learning initiative to help address the digital divide. AT&T is committing $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to high-speed internet by 2030.

According to Thue, “access and education in technology are vital to ensure every student can fully participate in our modern, digital world.”