Technology For All

technologyforall

Technology For All (TFA) utilizes technology as
a tool to empower and create opportunities
for under-resourced communities.

updates

A Dose of Digital: TFA students' lives reflect studies over healthcare and Internet access

January 12, 2012 - A series of Internet-focused studies from the Pew Research Center report rising trends for Internet access and health and healthcare research. 8 in 10 adult Internet users research health online, and health is one of the most common online research topics. The studies also show dispairities of access between income, age and other demographics. Many of our users, especially seniors, have experienced these findings firsthand. As health and heatlhcare becomes increasingly digitalized, they feel increasingly left behind. Learn more.

TFA and TXC2 Honor Partners with Celebration Luncheon
November 4, 2011 - On October 27, Technology For All’s Public Computer Center directors and Program Specialists met for Pappas’ catered barbeque at the first Public Computer Center Celebration Luncheon. Thanks to a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program grant awarded to Technology For All (TFA) and its Texas Connects Coalition partners, TFA has provided digital access and training to under-resourced communities through computer labs in 16 Houston community centers. The luncheon provided a formal setting for each center’s site directors, Program Specialists and fellow Texas Connects Coalition (TXC2) partner Austin Free-Net to finally meet. Learn more.

TFA and TXC2 Partners Support Wildfire Evacuees
September 15, 2011 - Texas' Labor Day wildfires are being called the most destructive in the state's history. Due to strong winds, low humidity and high temperatures characteristic of Texas' summer drought, approximately 180 fires were reported throughout Central and East Texas. Thousands of residents were evacuated from their homes to Red Cross Evacuation Centers like the Smithville Recreation Center, which had just replaced 11-year-old computers through the BTOP grant awarded to Texas Connects Coalition. As tunnels of smoke blocked nearby highways, displaced residents finally made contact and tracked the wildfires through open computer and Internet access. Learn more.

Technology For All Expands to Fit Demand

August 30, 2011 - Since receiving the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program grant, Technology For All has escalated the quantity, quality and scope of their efforts, bringing more technology and training to more underprivileged communities across Houston. To date, TFA has created over 16 new jobs and installed 399 computers in 15 new public computer centers, all serving Houston communities with the least access to technology resources. The number of training participants increases beyond expectations every month, with reports showing an increase from 3,581 in June to 4,929 in July. Training hours have also increased correspondingly, from 45,540 in June to 52,387 in July. Since TFA’s first report in March 2011, their average number of weekly users has increased from 688 to 1,678. Learn more.

TFA and Rice University team up for ‘Super Wifi’

April 19, 2011 - Technology For All and Rice University installed the first residential deployment of ‘Super Wifi’ in Houston’s low-income Pecan Park neighborhood. More accessible than traditional wifi, ‘Super Wifi’ is a long-range, barrier-piercing wireless Internet network that recycles TV channels unused since the switch from analog to digital. While Rice and TFA have installed a wireless network to serve Pecan Park, ‘Super Wifi’ can reach residents whose wireless access is limited by natural or human barriers. Learn more.

Technology For All receives $9.6 million grant
September 13, 2010 - The National Telecommunications Infrastructure Administration (NTIA) announced TFA has been awarded a $9.6 million Recovery Act grant for Texas Connects Coalition (TXC2)--the second largest grant offered. TXC2 is a digital access and literacy initiative helmed by TFA and Austin Free-Net (AFN). The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) grant is from the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) of the NTIA. Through the grant, Texas Connects Coalition will provide the development and support of 70 public computer center sites in Austin, Houston, San Antonio and across rural Texas. For current information, visit www.txc2.org. Or: Check out our original press release.

$1.8 million grant awarded to support TFA-Wireless

June 25, 2010 - The National Science Foundation awarded a grant of $1.8 million to Rice University to support the TFA-Wireless project. The proposal is titled: Human-Center Assessment, Design, and Access of Large Scale Networks. Working together, Technology For All and Rice University will utilize this urban testbed to try to better understand the end-user's experience and usage, so as to assess and improve the design and effectiveness of the network. Serving as Co-Principal Investigators on the project are Dr. Edward Knightly and Dr. Will Reed. Also assisting on the project are Drs. Lin Zhong and Robert Stein.