New Effort Designed To Help Kids Who Are Often Alone And On Their Own
Bellevue, Wash. — May. 16, 2006
T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced it is launching a national community outreach program that connects local mentors and support resources with kids from single-parent families in high-need, urban communities. Called T-Mobile Huddle Up, the program initially will focus on addressing the critical need for high-quality afterschool programs by providing a safe, fun place for kids to go after the school day ends. The initiative will engage and leverage volunteer support from the T-Mobile employee base throughout the United States. In addition, the company intends that the net proceeds from its wireless handset recycling program will be used in significant part to benefit the charitable efforts of T-Mobile Huddle Up and the company’s national nonprofit partners.
"At T-Mobile, we’re all about connecting people. Our first-ever community outreach program enables our employees to help improve afterschool facilities and programs by providing powerful connections for young people to positive people and places," said Robert Dotson, president and chief executive officer, T-Mobile USA. "With T-Mobile Huddle Up, kids who are often alone and on their own now will have a whole new set of resources and mentors within their reach. We couldn’t be more proud to help make this happen."
Through T-Mobile Huddle Up, T-Mobile will invest its wireless technology, resources, and employee time and energy to make a positive impact in communities where the company conducts business. Beginning in June and continuing throughout the summer, hundreds of T-Mobile employees will come together in eight cities nationwide to create and improve afterschool spaces in schools and community centers. The eight cities are Allentown, Pa.; Atlanta; Dallas; Denver; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Parsippany, N.J.; Seattle; and Los Angeles.
T-Mobile also will help improve Internet access for local afterschool programs by donating computers to each program and setting up wireless access, thereby enabling Web-based educational tools and resources to enhance learning opportunities for kids.
In support of the T-Mobile Huddle Up community outreach program, T-Mobile is pleased to announce a multiyear partnership with City Year, a national nonprofit organization that engages 1,200 young adults (known as corps members) ages 17 to 24 in full-time service to help kids reach their potential and improve communities. As City Year’s Official Wireless Telecommunication Partner, T-Mobile will equip all City Year corps members and staff in 16 cities nationwide with T-Mobile handsets and wireless service. This technology will improve corps members’ communications by offering real-time delivery of resources and information as they work with kids in afterschool programs and serve their communities every day.
"T-Mobile’s recognition of the importance of afterschool programs is on target with the needs of children and families," said City Year CEO Alan Khazei. "We are honored that T-Mobile has chosen City Year’s diverse corps of leaders to further its goals."
Numerous studies have proven that afterschool programs improve academic achievement, keep kids safe and help working parents. However, one in four kids in America are still home alone or unsupervised after school. Studies show that between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on school days, juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs and alcohol are at their peak. This research could explain why more than 87 percent of working mothers are concerned for their kids’ safety after school.*
As part of its program, T-Mobile also is partnering with the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization dedicated to raising awareness of the critical need for afterschool programs. During the coming years, T-Mobile will help support the Afterschool Alliance’s goal to make afterschool programs available to all kids.
To learn more about T-Mobile, visit www.t-mobile.com. To learn more about City Year or the Afterschool Alliance, visit www.cityyear.org or www.afterschoolalliance.org.
Lindsay Morio
T-Mobile USA Media Relations
425-383-4002
About T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the first quarter of 2010, approximately 150 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group - 33.7 million by T-Mobile USA - all via a common technology platform based on GSM and UMTS, the world's most widely used digital wireless standards. T-Mobile USA's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.
About City Year
City Year unites a diverse corps of young adults, ages 17 to 24, for a demanding year of full-time community service, leadership development and civic engagement. Founded in Boston in 1988, City Year has established programs in Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Columbia, SC; Columbus,OH; Detroit, MI; Little Rock, AR; Louisiana; New Hampshire; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Rhode Island; San Antonio, TX; San Jose/Silicon Valley, CA; Seattle/King County, WA; South Africa; and Washington, D.C. Lead investors in City Year include Bank of America, Comcast, CSX, The Timberland Company and T-Mobile. City Year is a proud member of AmeriCorps. Visit www.cityyear.org for more information.
About the Afterschool Alliance
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is available at http://www.afterschoolalliance.org
* Sources: Afterschool Alliance; "America After 3 PM," May 2004; Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2002, 2003.