Santander Consumer USA (SC) has been named as a finalist in D CEO’s 2021 Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Awards, held in partnership with Communities Foundation of Texas.
SC was recognized in the category of Collaboration of the Year for the work it has done with community partner Dallas Innovation Alliance.
When schools began closing in March 2020, due to the pandemic, an estimated 36,000 Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) households had no Internet connectivity. SC joined forces with the Dallas Innovation Alliance, a nonprofit public-private venture dedicated to supporting “smart-city strategies” in Dallas, Texas, to identify city neighborhoods with the highest percentage of homes lacking Internet access. SC provided the funding to launch the Mobile Learning Lab, a converted school bus which provided Wi-Fi to those under-connected neighborhoods.
“The Mobile Learning Lab served those most in need of digital access,” said Suzanne Massey, Vice President, Santander Consumer USA Foundation. “We applaud the Dallas Innovation Alliance for recognizing the need to provide long-range Wi-Fi signals during a critical time of the pandemic for those who are under connected. Santander Consumer USA is proud to be a strong partner in the success and growth of all of our communities and most especially in Dallas, our home.”
With nearly 500 nominations received for the 2021 Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Awards, this is a great accomplishment. SC, along with the rest of the finalists, can be viewed in D CEO’s special online edition of the announcement.
Winners will be announced July 28.
