Students and teachers in underserved areas don’t always have the same access to educational programs and technology as others. American Tower recognizes that this leaves them and their communities at risk of being left behind.

The American Tower Foundation: Launched in July 2017, the American Tower Foundation’s mission is focused on improving education through technology to empower students, teachers and communities, both domestically and internationally. Employees submit grant applications for eligible organizations. In its first two years of operation, the American Tower Foundation awarded over $1.8 million in grants. Recipients included school districts and youth development agencies to provide hands-on, technology-based learning.

Global Volunteering: Employees can serve independently or join one of the annual company-sponsored volunteer days. We partner with local organizations to identify and plan volunteer projects for groups of employees as part of these efforts. Many of these projects are focused on helping schools, including participating as mentors in events targeted for science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning.

Digital Villages: We are using our communications infrastructure in an innovative way by building Digital Villages near our tower sites to bring broadband connectivity to local communities. Digital Villages are computer-equipped kiosks that use the uninterrupted power supply and broadband link from our sites to provide local communities with free education and training. To date, we have established Digital Villages in India, Nigeria, Ghana and Mexico.

American Tower’s philanthropic initiatives have reached thousands of students and teachers in the communities where our employees live and work. Our employees also volunteer with a wide variety of organizations, serving diverse communities in the U.S. and in our other markets around the world. Through charitable grants and matching gifts, volunteer hours and truly unique philanthropic initiatives, American Tower is helping to ready global students for their future.

Brenna Jones