Southern California Gas Co. announced a partnership Tuesday with the Southeast Community Development Corporation in an effort to bridge the digital divide for students in South Los Angeles who need supplies, internet access and tutoring.
A donation from SoCalGas to the nonprofit SCDC will provide Chromebooks, noise-canceling headphones, internet hotspots and access to one-on-one tutoring to 100 students from various schools that are still conducting remote learning during the pandemic.
“Remote learning has been a challenge for many students this past year, particularly those from low-income families without the necessary resources and connectivity that help drive success,” said Andy Carrasco, vice president of communications, local government and community affairs at SoCalGas and SCDC board president. “We are proud of partnerships with organizations like the SCDC that are helping to overcome these disadvantages and help prevent students from getting left behind.”
South Gate City Councilwoman Denise Diaz called the initiative and tutoring program “critical in the quest to providing the needed academic support to our most vulnerable students. She added, “Our students’ success is dependent on our community coming together to make available the resources necessary to achieve educational equity. I am inspired by the generous contribution of community partners such as SoCalGas who are helping us achieve this goal.”
SCDC Executive Director Emma Hernandez said she’s thankful for the supporting of students in need.
“The customized online tutoring program will have lasting positive effects on our elementary school students who had already been struggling academically but now face many more barriers,” Hernandez said.
This latest initiative also supports eight Cal State Dominguez Hills students as they complete their teaching credential requirements and engage in tutoring two hours per day, four days a week for 26 weeks.
Since schools closed in March and moved to online formats, Los Angeles-based SoCalGas has partnered with five nonprofit community organizations to help bridge the digital divide.
The country’s largest gas distribution utility has donated more than $2.74 million to nonprofit organizations for COVID-19 recovery efforts, which include providing educational resources to students, supporting the region’s workforce, feeding the hungry, providing bill assistance to customers and more.