Austin Free-Net Transforms Lives

Juanita Budd organizza questa raccolta fondi

Donazione protetta

Support Digital Literacy and Empower AFN To Continue to Make A Positive Economic Impact in Austin Today!!!

"It wasn't until I came to Austin Free-Net that things began to turn around. My computer skills were pretty much non-existent. I needed to let them help me get to where I needed to be to become employable and support my infant child"

--Donald Tabor, single parent and current University of Texas employee

The Need

We exist to provide technology training and access to the community, fostering skills that enable people to succeed in a digital age.

·         42% of offline Austin residents want someone to help them use a computer. (City of Austin Digital Inclusion Study)

Austin Free-Net’s computer labs and classes allow individuals to define their unique needs and receive one-on-one training that is relevant to their own situation.

Austin Free-Net is excited about its new goals for 2017! We want to expand our programs, provide public access for clients to login to our computers 175,000 times and provide 15,000 hours of free training!

Austin Free-Net is hoping to raise an additional $20,000 of funding this summer to help us continue to provide free computer access and training to the people of Austin.

How will your donation help?

We connect parents to schools, the elderly and isolated to family and friends, and people in need to necessary resources. Our programs are designed to provide foundational computer training that equips each client with the computer knowledge needed to meet the goals they set for themselves, such as getting a better job, finding affordable housing or navigating government services and school websites.

Please take a minute to read about the barriers that our Austin clients face and the benefits we offer through technology access and training;

Seniors – 230+ individuals served since January 2016

·         Seniors continue to lag behind younger Americans when it comes to tech adoption. And many seniors remain largely unattached from online and mobile life—41% do not use the internet at all, 53% do not have broadband access at home, and 23% do not use cell phones.

·         77% of seniors indicate they would need someone to help teach them new computer and online skills.

·         Training older people to use social media improves cognitive capacity, increases a sense of self-competence and could have a beneficial overall impact on mental health and physical well-being, according to a study carried out in the UK and Italy.

Homeless – 170+ individuals served since January 2016

·         Homeless adults experience increased risk of negative health outcomes, and technology-based interventions may provide an opportunity for improving health in this population.

·         People experiencing homelessness use computers to remain socially connected with others, to find jobs, housing and leisure opportunities, and to locate other resources.

·         Researchers found the increased self-esteem that accompanies learning to use a computer helps people experiencing homelessness see themselves as capable individuals with a vision of life other than homelessness.

Refugees – 70+ individuals served since January 2016

·         Access to the Internet and device training is a vital lifeline for displaced individuals as they seek refuge from war and conflict. Being able to learn and make use of various sorts of social media, plays an integral role in an individual’s ability to start a life as newcomers in another part of the world.

Unemployed – 330+ individuals served since January 2016

·         77% of students are trained by Austin Free-Net staff on workforce development skills.

·         710+ individuals have received workforce training since January 2016.

·         80% of Fortune 500 companies require online applications.

We envision a $4.9 Million economic impact* in the community.

*If unemployed AFN students received full-time jobs (40hours/wk) earning minimum wage, the economic impact would be $4.9 million.

Please join us in our continued fight to bridge the digital divide!

$15 sponsors free training and support for 1 student

$100 sponsors free training and support for 7 students

$500 sponsors free training and support for 35 students

$1000 sponsors free training and support for 70 students

Testimonials:

"Classes with Austin Free-Net have helped me gain employment as well as locate my kids and family on Facebook. I'm now doing good… I love being able to keep up to date with my kid’s lives."

--Arron Robertson, Austin Free-Net student, Getting It Done program at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless

"I've been hired by the Del Valle Independent School District to work in their IT department!"

--Jaime Porter, Austin Free-Net Tech Certification Preparation Class graduate

"The trainer's help with my resume really made a difference. She helped me to realize and verbalize all the things I had been doing at jobs.

--Ira Spencer, Austin Free-Net client and former prison inmate

“You have allowed me to research my medical diagnosis. I just got home from the hospital. “

--Jim Culbert, Austin Free-Net client at our Foundation Communities access lab

More About Austin Free-Net