In a very short period of time, daily life has radically changed for millions of people around the world. Mass social distancing has created a new normal for many of us – and that includes Urban Alliance interns.
While many Americans are fortunate to be able to seamlessly take their work home, our interns are not always in the same position. A significant number of students do not have access to the computer technology required for remote academic or professional work.
In Detroit, 1 in 3 interns do not have computers at home. But starting this week, every single Urban Alliance intern in Detroit now has computers to complete schoolwork and internship projects while protecting their health and safety at home – thanks to Quicken Loans.
Our anchor employer in Detroit, Quicken Loans, permanently donated 20 laptops to fill the technology gap for the entire region. Quicken Loans hosts an entire cohort of 30 interns in the city across the Rock Family of Companies, and support from the Quicken Loans Community Fund made it possible for us to bring our High School Internship Program to Detroit in 2018.
During this difficult time, Quicken Loans is maintaining their commitment to our students by not only ensuring that every student is able to work remotely, but continuing to pay their interns. This is a critical need for so many of our students, because:
- 80% of our students contribute a portion of their earnings to household expenses;
- 91% of our students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, so they may not be getting three meals a day; and
- Most interns come from low-income communities likely to be among the hardest-hit economically by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our students – already burdened with so many worries during this uncertain time – should not have to carry the added burden of worrying about whether they will receive their next paycheck. Thanks to the generous support of partners like Quicken Loans, our interns can continue their workforce development and professional growth with greater peace of mind.