SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Like most people moving to a new city, Khatera needed to find a job, buy a home and get her family accustomed to the community. But for Khatera, a recently arrived refugee from Afghanistan, achieving such goals was a nearly overwhelming challenge since this single mom had just escaped a war zone full of loss -- of family, friends and, in fact, her entire way of life. For traumatized refugees like Khatera, the International Institute of St. Louis is there to help, providing English classes, counseling and job placement to more than 7,500 refugees and immigrants each year.
The Institute is one of more than 480 regional and local nonprofit organizations that benefited today from nearly $6 million in competitive AT&T Excelerator technology grants from the AT&T Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AT&T Inc. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the AT&T Excelerator program, which has provided more than 2,500 technology grants equating to more than $38.8 million to organizations across the country since 2002. The AT&T Excelerator program is a key component of AT&T AccessAll, a three-year, $100 million philanthropic initiative to provide technology access to the organizations that work to strengthen communities.
"Funding from the 2006 AT&T Excelerator grant will enable us to provide computer training to bilingual caseworkers, who are many times former refugees and recent arrivals to the U.S. themselves," said Anna Crosslin, president and CEO of the International Institute of St. Louis. "In turn, these technology skills will allow our caseworkers to better help other new Americans build successful lives in our community."
AT&T Excelerator is a major philanthropic initiative that helps nonprofits fully integrate technology into their ongoing operations and community outreach. AT&T Excelerator grants also help nonprofit organizations put technology tools into the hands of the underserved populations they work with, providing resources such as Internet access, computer training, math and reading programs and job-skills development.
"We continually strive to find the most efficient ways to connect people with technology resources in our local communities" said Laura Sanford, president of the AT&T Foundation. "The AT&T Excelerator program is important, because it provides the technology tools that nonprofits need to not only improve their operations but also to impact more lives in our communities."
2006 AT&T Excelerator grants will help nonprofit organizations across the U.S. improve their operations and build stronger communities through:
-- Internet Access. Networked, high speed access to the Internet and
e-mail.
-- Data Networking. Network connectivity enabling easy sharing of database
applications and information systems.
-- Online Outreach. Interactive, Web-based applications that support
activities such as service delivery, volunteer recruiting and
e-fundraising.
-- Staff Technology Capacity. Technology-training programs for nonprofit
staff members.
-- Pooled Technology Resources. Programs that work to address the
technology needs of multiple nonprofits.
Since 1996, AT&T Inc. and the AT&T Foundation have contributed more than $439 million to nonprofit organizations across the country. With its strong giving record, the AT&T Foundation is among the five largest corporate foundations in the United States and was ranked by Forbes magazine among the most generous corporate foundations in 2006.
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About the AT&T Foundation
The new AT&T Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AT&T Inc., supports programs that build communities and improve access to information technologies, technology training, and professional skills development. The new AT&T Foundation will provide more than $60 million in 2006 in charitable contributions, thereby placing it among the top five largest corporate foundations in the country. The new AT&T Foundation combines more than 40 years and $1.7 billion of philanthropic commitment to communities across the country.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. is one of the world's largest telecommunications holding companies and is the largest in the United States. Operating globally under the AT&T brand, AT&T companies are recognized as the leading worldwide providers of IP-based communications services to business and as leading U.S. providers of high speed DSL Internet, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. AT&T Inc. holds a 60 percent ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which is the No. 1 U.S. wireless services provider with 58.7 million wireless customers. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and AT&T products and services is available at http://www.att.com/ .
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