Spectrum awards $15,000 Digital Education Grant to Māpunawai Inc. : Maui Now

Spectrum has announced that Māpunawai Inc. was one of the 46 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive the $15,000 Spectrum Digital Education grant this year.

Māpunawai Inc. is a nonprofit that provides a bridge to the digital divide for Hawaiʻi residents through programs that address digital equity needs. Since July 2021, Māpunawai Inc. has provided free basic computer classes and free refurbished laptops to over 2,000 people statewide.

Māpunawai Inc. plans to use the grant funds to provide digital literacy classes for senior residents in Hawaiʻi.

Spectrum presented the grant to the organization at Heritage Hall Maui during a free in-person computer training and laptop giveaway event on Feb. 23. ­­­­­State Senator Lynn DeCoite and Spectrum executives participated in the celebration.

“I want to congratulate Māpunawai on being awarded a Spectrum Digital Education Grant,” said Sen. DeCoite. “This grant will allow them to empower senior residents by giving them access to digital literacy training and expanding their digital footprint. Thank you to Spectrum for their support of Māpunawai in helping to bridge the digital divide and helping our kupuna.”

Māpunawai Inc.’s Digital Ready Hawaiʻi program helps by giving seniors the tools and knowledge necessary to not only navigate the digital world but also to access important resources, communicate with loved ones, and potentially even find employment opportunities.

“We at Māpunawai are honored and excited to be a part of this digital equity effort with Spectrum,” said Ka’ala Souza, executive director of Māpunawai Inc. “Through this funding opportunity, we will be able to provide access to technology for more kūpuna in Hawaiʻi.”

Spectrum’s Commitment: $9 Million and Counting

Māpunawai Inc. is one of 46 nonprofit organizations across 14 states that Spectrum is supporting through the 2023 Spectrum Digital Education grants. Since the program’s 2017 launch, Spectrum has committed more than $9 million total to the initiative and has awarded 261 grants to 143 unique partners. As of September 2023, Spectrum Digital Education has helped to fund more than 30,000 digital education classes, distribute over 13,000 devices including laptops and support the creation of 157 tech labs.

“The importance of expanding access to essential broadband technologies, education and training is profound in our increasingly digital world,” said Rahman Khan, group vice president of community impact at Charter. “Through the 2023 Spectrum Digital Education grant program, Charter is partnering with valued nonprofits that share our commitment to create better opportunities for the communities we serve.”