Connect the Unconnected in Chicago's South Shore - Wire Cutting Ceremony May 19

CHICAGO - May 18, 2016 - PRLog -- For many across the country, internet access is an essential basic utility just like water, electricity and gas services. However, many people in Chicago don't have access to that global information pipeline. As recent pushes from the world's largest tech companies have shown (Facebook's Internet.org, Google's Project Loon), internet access is quickly becoming a basic human right. Recently a team of non-profits and tech companies came together to provide internet connectivity for one of Chicago's "internet deserts." The result? Less crime, a happier community and more opportunity for residents of the area that could be replicated across the the city.

Leave No Veterans Behind, Windsor Park Evangelical Lutheran Church and Cambium Networks have come together to connect the unconnected in the South Shore community and will be holding a "wire cutting" ceremony on May 19 to show off the results. The wire cutting event will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the Windsor Evangelical Lutheran Church on 2619 East 76th Street in Chicago, IL.

By pooling resources, the Windsor Park community in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood has created a safe oasis of high-speed connectivity. Local leaders working with members of Leave No Veteran Behind (http://www.leavenoveteranbehind.org/) came together to provide first-class high-speed connectivity to a hub location, equipping a community building with an online computer lab and WiFi. Cambium Networks (http://www.cambiumnetworks.com/), headquartered in Rolling Meadows, provided the hardware and connected the broadband system to a nearby restaurant, which now provides a free WiFi hotspot in the neighborhood. In addition, community leaders leveraged the IP-based high-speed network to install video surveillance cameras at the Windsor Park Church hub location.

The wireless broadband network has created significant benefits for all members of the community, and the video surveillance system has increased safety in the immediate area. Young people can study, participate in extracurricular programs, learn about technology, and experience a new connection to the world in safety. Adults can access professional development tools, search for jobs, and participate in online training programs.

Event Details:

What: South Shore Internet Connectivity Wire Cutting
Where: Windsor Evangelical Lutheran Church
2619 East 76^th Street, Chicago
When: Thursday, May 19 at 11am CT