Keeping Youth Connected and Engaged with Technology

Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood Receives Donation From Crown Castle To Keep Youth Connected and Engaged with Technology 

Donation will provide essential upgrades to Technology & Innovation Center and fund technology and creative arts programming

Hollywood, Calif. March 31, 2022 – Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood has received support from Crown Castle, the nation’s largest provider of shared telecommunications infrastructure, to enhance the club’s technology and programming offerings.

Approximately 500 local students are served by the Boys & Girls Club’s existing Technology Lab, which provides the community with access to computers and internet – a critical resource when the COVID-19 pandemic forced a shift to remote and hybrid school. 

“While the pandemic exacerbated the already wide technology gap, the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood continued to be a refuge for students and provided access to computers and technology they may not have at home,” said Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood CEO, Mel Culpepper. “Crown Castle’s donation allows us to reinvest in this essential program so we can continue to serve our community and enhance the education and lives of local students.” 

Not only will the investment improve and add hardware and software resources the center provides, but it will also support the addition of programming and initiatives that foster engagement of youth in technology and future workforce opportunities. Programs like Girls in STEM, Robotics, and Girls in Film will be enhanced and included in the roster of programs, which include Technology Skill Development, Cybersecurity, Coding and more. The Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood have expanded access to computers by 30%; enhanced our robotics program by 50%; and established a mobile lab that allows our students to access technology throughout our facility utilizing mobile devices.

“We are honored to support the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood with this donation to the club’s Technology & Innovation Center,” said Crown Castle Manager of Public Relations, Mark Guillen. “The club provides such an important service to the local community.  We want to make sure it has the best infrastructure and resources in place to continue to help Hollywood’s youth develop meaningful skills in technology and the creative arts.”

The partnership with Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood is a part of Crown Castle’s Connected by Good initiative to work with community partners to improve spaces where people connect, promote public safety, and, in this case, advance access to education and technology.