Last month, Lakeview Community Center received their third grant from Spectrum, bringing Spectrum’s total investment in the center to $132,000 through 2021.
A check for $32,000 was presented during the Ice Cream Social + back-to-school event at the Community Center’s playground. The event offered free book bags, community partner tools and food like ice cream and a video game truck for kids. Funding also contributed to the creation of the Spectrum Training and Technology Center at the Lakeview Community Center.
Mike Hogan, senior director of public relations at Spectrum, gave me some insight into Spectrum’s efforts to provide resources to the community.
“Spectrum is deeply invested in local communities, and we believe in supporting community centers across the country as they act as a hub to connect residents with resources, support and tools to manage day-to-day life,” Hogan said.
Funding is provided annually to continue to ensure community needs are met, and free Spectrum Wi-Fi is available throughout the program.
Hogan explained that Spectrum’s goal is to invest $25 million, plus $5 million in in-kind donations, in 100 community centers serving 50,000 residents across the U.S. These projects will have an impact. throughout the country, to help people build skills that will expand opportunities and generality. digital literacy. According to a 2018 report published by the US Department of Education, 16 percent of working-age adults (16-65) cannot read and write when tested on certain standards. This percentage varies by demographic, with Black adults at 22% and Hispanic adults at 35%.
Ohio State Representative Terrance Upchurch was in attendance at the Ice Cream Social, and spoke about the importance of access and equity.
“Building community partnerships like this that fit the community, that’s what helps strengthen communities and empower citizens,” Upchurch said.
I spoke with Ana Santiago, director of resident services at the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA). He gave an insight into the tangible benefits for citizens of the new technology center.
“Having computers in sight, and a case manager (provided by CMHA, job readiness aids) helps residents solve various obstacles and build independence and computer skills. It eliminates the need for for them to get transportation, which is a big obstacle for many citizens,” said Santiago.
“Every day different classes are offered, from typing to emails, searching for jobs, paying bills online, etc. We use this site for training work, we partner with Fifth Third Bank and they teach finance, and we offer after-school programs. and homework help. This place is fully utilized,” Santiago said.
Another important use of the space is job fairs. Santiago explained that job fairs can remove barriers, such as transportation, and bring employers to Lakeview for interested residents to meet.
In preparation for these job fairs, the Lakeview Community Center offers mock interviews, resume preparation and business casual wear and dress for success. Residents are fully prepared to look for work, and are made to feel confident about their success in finding work. CMHA’s human resources department works with residents to prepare for work, and can often arrange one-on-one interviews at job fairs from partners.
“Strong collaborations are important in this work, finding partners who are ready to hire and communicate with citizens from a perspective and help remove obstacles and provide skills and opportunities in the process,” Santiago said.
Other spooky possibilities happen at Lakeview Community Center as well, like the Superman Genesis movie.
“The Film Commission of Greater Cleveland came to a job fair to hire extras for the movie Genesis, which filmed in Lakeview. A representative of the film commission came back to have a serious interview. and residents interested in being extras, and held workshops about the film industry. Eight residents were hired as extras in the film, and filming took one week there was one citizen who met all the requirements of an employee, who was offered another job in Columbus! how far,” Santiago said.
A resident passed the first class in the program 2 years ago, and with additional funding through Spectrum, was hired by Lakeview to work in the lab and teach classes. “It’s one of the most important things that happened in this collaboration, he became the face of the show,” Santiago added.
Tena Cummings is a technology center curator and basic computer literacy instructor. He has been a resident of Lakeview for 10 years.
“I can teach the citizens and help them improve their knowledge. It’s good to connect with people because I didn’t interact much with other residents, because I didn’t see much in common,” Cummings said.
“It’s interesting to watch how people interact with the site, to save phone information, to communicate, to improve resumes, I can see a lot of technology being used,” Cummings added.
He talked a bit about his background in web design and programming in the early 2000s. I asked him what difference he sees in his vision, then and now.
“Technology is so efficient now, it’s cheaper to buy than to build something yourself. You used to be able to keep the same computer tower for years and years and keep changing it. Now when yes, it’s interesting,” Cummings said.
The technology lab currently has 16 computer stations, making it a fully functional space for students and adults alike. Cummings explained that children and adults do not use the room at the same time, as there are designated times for adult use and after-school use for students.
“I’m happy to see the different levels of use in this area, from people who are very knowledgeable and just need to know how to use a computer, to those who are not very tech savvy. I can see the whole game from kids learning to senior citizens in their 70s. Some people just know their calling, and I work with a lot of people at their own pace and learning style,” said Cummings.
This collaboration works at a high speed to provide services beyond just technology, but to equip people with the tools to open doors, and build confidence in their existing and newly acquired skills. I appreciated the excitement and satisfaction in everyone’s voices as we discussed this partnership program, and what it means for the residents and staff of Lakeview and Spectrum. I hope that their reach through cooperation and removing barriers to citizens continues to grow and succeed in meeting the needs of their community.
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