Bachman Lake Together will operate as the second Connected Dallas walk-in center offering computer lab, one-on-one support connecting to the Affordable Connectivity Program, online-based services, and hosting digital skills workshops

November 14, 2023 [DALLAS, TX} - Today, the Dallas Innovation Alliance (DIA)’s Connected Dallas Digital Ambassador program has officially opened its second Community Anchor Site at Bachman Lake Together, creating the Connected Dallas Tech Lab to serve residents. The site’s community opening celebration today represents the second of eight sites that will open by summer 2024, offering the brick-and-mortar walk-in center component of the program. The site is open for regular operations from Monday - Thursday, 9:00am-2:00pm, with evening and Saturday hours on a monthly basis. The Connected Dallas program’s mission is to provide a full spectrum of digital navigation touchpoints that meet the community where they are, whether by text, chat, phone, online or in-person at local community organizations. The Connected Dallas framework is provided by National Digital Inclusion Alliance.

“Reaching the goal of ‘internet for all’ requires partnership and comprehensive resource delivery. Getting all Dallas residents fully engaged in the opportunities that today’s digital world provides is complex and requires each of us to play a part, today represents a huge moment in realizing this vision,” commented Jennifer Sanders, Executive Director, Dallas Innovation Alliance. “Building this comprehensive program has only been possible through the generous investments in digital equity from our partners at AT&T, Santander Consumer USA Foundation, Dallas Foundation and we are honored by the trust that the City of Dallas has placed in DIA to execute the City’s Digital Navigator’s Program. We are so grateful for the opportunity to do this work.”

“The launch of this Community Anchor Site at Bachman Lake Together is a testament to the collective investment and partnership in making this happen. At Bachman Lake Together, we believe in the power of community voice and using a dual-generation approach to serve our children, families and community,” says Dr. Olga Martinez Hickman, Executive Director, Bachman Lake Together. “With this new anchor site, we can connect entire families and community members with the latest technology and resources to help further their education, economic mobility and overall quality of life.”

Founded in 2009 through a five-year commitment from the Zero to Five Funders Collective,  Bachman Lake Together is a nonprofit, collective-impact initiative that connects families, community partners and supporters in a shared purpose: giving every child the opportunity to thrive by giving them a solid foundation in the earliest, most critical developmental years of ages 0-5. Bachman Lake Together believes this goal will be most effectively achieved by working together and ensuring everyone has a voice in the process.

“The City of Dallas is committed to bridging the digital divide through cross-sectoral engagement and collaboration to address the various needs of the public and private sector to get connected. Which includes Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment assistance, tech support, and community engagement and more,” commented Genesis Gavino, Chief of Staff to the City Manager, City of Dallas. “The Tech Lab at Bachman Lake Together is a key resource to support communities within their neighborhood. We are thrilled to celebrate another step towards internet for all Dallas residents.” 

Community Anchor Sites will provide hyper-local and on the ground support in under-connected communities. These sites are outfitted with technology and training to provide walk-in services to access computers and WiFi, one-on-one support for everything from Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment to telehealth appointments, as well as digital skills programs run by local Ambassadors. The recently announced third anchor site at Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation will open in December 2023. Connected Dallas partner CARDboard Project is providing a variety of their workshops and 10-Step Roadmap case management services with the program.

"We understand that bridging the digital gap requires a collective effort. As such, we take pride in collaborating with the Dallas Innovation Alliance to launch the second Connected Dallas site," expressed Mylayna Albright,  assistant vice president,  Corporate Social Responsibility at AT&T. "We firmly believe that every community should have access to affordable digital devices, high-speed internet, and the essential digital skills to maximize their connections. Our partnership with Connected Dallas fills us with immense joy, and we remain committed to contributing to a brighter future for our community."

Connected Dallas is also accepting requests from local community organizations to host train-the-trainer sessions for their teams to utilize Connected Dallas resources to serve their clients; as well as request a Digital Ambassador to hold workshops and one-on-one office hours at their facility. Both of these requests can be made via this form on www.ConnectedDallas.org.  Residents and organizations are encouraged to visit the central events calendar to find digital access events at organizations across Dallas. This integrated approach ensures community members are aware of, trained, and connected to any service that requires connectivity to improve quality of life and access to opportunity.

“The Santander Consumer Foundation is pleased to offer continued support toward digital inclusion and the economic prosperity of the Dallas community,” said Christopher Pfirrman, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Santander Consumer and Santander Consumer Foundation Board Chair. “This second Community Anchor Site for Dallas residents will allow for a physical hub for ongoing internet connectivity and support, an initiative we’re proud to support in a digital age.”

About the Dallas Innovation Alliance

Founded in 2015, the Dallas Innovation Alliance (DIA) is a 501c3 cross-sector partnership dedicated to supporting Dallas’ smart cities strategy. The DIA defines a smart city as one that lives at the intersection of community, data and technology to enable resource efficiencies, inclusive economic development and improve quality of life. Since 2015, the DIA has built a network of over three dozen members across sectors, works with more than 100 community organizations, and over 20 departments at the City of Dallas. DIA’s Smart Cities Living Lab is the fastest-to-market smart cities initiative in the country. For more information, please visit. www.DallasInnovationAlliance.com.

About Connected Dallas

The Connected Dallas program is designed to provide a full spectrum of digital touchpoints for community members that meet them where they are, whether by phone, text, chat, online or in-person. This ensures community members are educated, trained, and connected to all services that require connectivity to improve quality of life. The Connected Dallas program is supported by leading philanthropic investments by AT&T, Santander Consumer USA Foundation and the Dallas Foundation, The DIA was selected by the City of Dallas to manage the Digital Navigators program provided through ARPA funding. The Connected Dallas framework is provided by National Digital Inclusion Alliance. For more information, please visit www.ConnectedDallas.org.

About Bachman Lake Together: Bachman Lake Together (BLT) serves as the backbone organization for their neighborhood. BLT's mission is to unite the Bachman Lake community to fully prepare children for kindergarten – academically, socially and emotionally – so they can thrive in school and in life. Bachman Lake Together coordinates, communicates and measures the collective impact of Bachman Lake families, 50+ partner organizations, committees and working groups. For more information, please visit www.bachmanlaketogether.org.