Helping residents stay connected to the resources they need has always been critical to Mercy Housing’s mission. Our homes are more than four walls and a roof because of the Resident Services that our communities offer. Reliable internet and devices are essential for pursuing dreams and brighter futures, so closing the digital divide (equitable access to Wi-Fi, software, and devices) is paramount to ending cycles of poverty. 

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The pandemic has worsened the digital divide for people earning low incomes, and it has proven to affect communities of color disproportionately. Gaps in access to internet exclude adults from programs like continuing education, applying for jobs, and mobile banking. For K-12 students, it can be impossible to engage in school and other enrichment opportunities. Students without adequate digital access are severely at risk of falling behind in school. Even before the pandemic, we were hard at work piloting programs to keep residents virtually connected. 

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Donated new laptops and tablets brought greatly needed hardware to homes so that we could develop online tutoring, virtual summer camps, and out-of-school activities to keep students learning. This was made possible through compassion and commitment from our partners — job opportunities, education resources, essential CDC updates, and connections with loved ones were more readily available at communities.

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Maria, a college student and Mercy Housing resident, offers insight into why equitable access to devices and internet is essential for better inclusivity and diversity. Maria reflects, “With the world undergoing a global pandemic, I often think about how this crisis is revealing the disparities within our society by leaving low-income children from immigrant communities behind. Immigrant parents are expected to be able to assist in teaching their kids during quarantine, but some students may not have a stable home, Wi-Fi, a laptop, or a parent to help them with homework…”