Happy Holidays to all our friends and contributors! Thanks to your generosity and support, the Oak Hill Collaborative has enjoyed an extremely successful year in 2021 and we are looking forward to another one in 2022. The pandemic has changed life as we know it and helped us realize how important Digital Equity and Digital Inclusion are in our increasingly computer-connected world. We continue to help residents with neighborhood revitalization and community improvement, but more and more we focus on “Bridging the Digital Divide.” We empower residents by providing increased digital skills, more economical computer equipment, and cheaper, faster broadband. As Community Champions in this field, we are leaders in ensuring that all residents have efficient and economical access to the internet.
We are proud of our employees and contributors who make our work successful: IT Director Anthony Hake, Broadband Consultant Steve Kristan, Intake Specialists Alexandra Dawson and April Slocum, and AmeriCorps member John Caligado. We also plan on hiring a full-time Digital Education Coordinator in the upcoming year so we can expand our services even more.
In addition to hiring a Digital Education Coordinator, other plans for 2022 include the possible purchase of a large converted bus or van for mobile education classes, which would enable us to reach more residents in the Valley. Currently we are researching the cost of acquisition, refurbishing and maintenance, and potential funding sources.
The Oak Hill Collaborative has been blessed with financial support from many benefactors but we would be remiss if we did not point out several major contributors: The Youngstown Foundation, the Board of Mahoning County Commissioners, The City of Youngstown, Premier Bank Foundation, AT&T, and the United Way, among others. Their generosity makes our mission possible.
Happy Holidays to all. We pray for good health and the opportunity to help others
— Patrick V. Kerrigan
Executive Director of Oak Hill Collaborative
