By. Natalia Marrero
Why was a computer and Internet connection needed in the household prior to having access through the ConnectHome Program?
Being a single mother of 4 and not being able to afford Internet, ConnectHome was a great opportunity to take advantage of as an Internet connection was something that we needed now more than ever. The kids were getting older and in high school you need to keep in contact with the teachers throughout emails, they also have AP classes (College Board courses) and I knew that if we didn’t have Internet at home we were not going to be able to go to the library all the time. They have been able to write their papers and even apply for different Colleges and Grants
It has really helped us in a really big way, I cannot even describe Even I have been able to do online shopping and pay bills. I’ve also had the opportunity to educate myself on many areas.
Did the family had Internet? If so, was the internet high?
We had internet in 2012 which was a promotion Internet that was $19.99 but once the year ended it went from that to $198.00 and there was no way I could afford that with 4 kids.
So, we didn’t have internet from 2012 until ConnectHome came along (2015).I was so happy, we had been so long without it and when we got the computer got to learn so many things that I didn’t know like paste and copy,adding pictures to flyers, writing my own little things. I was so excited because I was able to do so many things at home that I didn’t dare do at a library because I was so ashamed to ask.
Also, my kids started gaining knowledge throughout the ConnectHome computer instead of being playing video games all the time on their cell phones. They are actually doing their homeworks and many other school things with this ConnectHome computer.
How many household member use the computer and Internet?
5
How has the Internet helped you and your family?
One of my daughters got an internship at Union Bank which required Internet access because she had to sign up, go online to do surveys and also with the younger children they have a school program on which they have to go online with their own email and password and they have “20 minutes, 20 days, 20 books” and read the books online so if we didn’t have the ConnectHome Internet my smallest children wouldn’t be able to do that and they would have failed.
