UScellular Donates $1 Million to Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Wireless carrier continues its commitment to supporting youth STEM educational opportunities for the 10^th consecutive year

CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- To further its mission of providing meaningful learning opportunities and closing the gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education for youth, UScellular has made a $1 million donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America to support their academic programming. This marks the tenth consecutive year of UScellular's investment in the organization, reinforcing the company's ongoing dedication to STEM education and academic enrichment programs.

The 2024 grant will directly benefit 16 Boys & Girls Clubs within UScellular's service areas:

"We believe every young person should have the chance to explore a STEM education," said Kevin Lowell, executive vice president, chief people officer, and head of communications at UScellular. "Our partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America enables us to equip local youth with the tools, resources, and experiences they need to explore careers in STEM and unlock their full potential. We're honored to be able to support these critical learning opportunities."

In 2023, UScellular's support provided youth with access to a variety of STEM-related activities and educational programs. The grant funds were used to award Club members who built functioning robots, brainstormed solutions to local environmental challenges and hosted STEM fairs for local businesses. UScellular associates also spent more than 500 hours volunteering at various Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the year, including planting a salsa garden at Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina and creating earth-day crafts at Boys & Girls Club of Chicago.

"Boys & Girls Clubs of America is excited to continue working with UScellular to advance STEM education for today's young people," said Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Beyond impactful programming, this partnership helps introduce kids and teens to careers within STEM fields and exposes them to the numerous opportunities available to them as they aim to achieve successful futures." 

Beyond its commitment to STEM education, UScellular remains dedicated to bridging the digital divide and narrowing the "homework gap" through its After School Access Project, an initiative that provides mobile hotspots and free wireless service to nonprofits supporting youth outside of school hours. To date, UScellular has donated more than 24,000 mobile hotspots and free wireless service worth more than $30 million to community nonprofits, with more than 3,550 hotspots going to 40 Boys & Girls Clubs.

Since 2009, UScellular has invested more than $47 million in monetary donations, technology resources and countless experiences to nonprofit organizations across the country. To learn more about UScellular's work with Boys & Girls Clubs, go to newsroom.uscellular.com/boys-girls-clubs-of-america, and for more information about the company's broader corporate social responsibility initiatives, please go to newsroom.uscellular.com/community.

About UScellular
UScellular is the fourth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to help customers stay connected to the things that matter most. The Chicago-based carrier provides a strong, reliable network supported by the latest technology and offers a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers' lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. Through its After School Access Project, the company has donated more than $23 million in hotspots and service to help youth connect to reliable internet. To learn more about UScellular, visit one of its retail stores or www.uscellular.com. To get the latest news, visit newsroom.uscellular.com.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Over 5,400 Clubs serve more than 3 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. The national headquarters is located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and X.

For more information, contact:

[email protected] 

Eliza Lynch, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Director of Public Relations
[email protected]
(203) 522-7010

SOURCE UScellular