Updated Information on Foodbank Distribution Locations and Cox Communications Offer

City of Goleta sent this bulletin at 04/21/2020 04:27 PM PDT

The City of Goleta is sharing information from local agencies related to COVID-19. This email contains messages from Foodbank of Santa Barbara County and Cox Communications on different programs available to the community.

Foodbank of Santa Barbara County SAFE Food Net Emergency Food Distributions

Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is hosting additional food distributions in order to meet the growing need in the community caused by COVID-19. The food at these sites is prepared and distributed in a way that utilized social distancing and followed CDC recommendations. Many locations offer a drive-thru option to minimize contact, and others are scheduling food pick-up appointments for individuals to prevent crowds. You may be asked to wear provided hygienic gloves. No documentation/registration required. Everyone is welcome. For more information visit FoodbankSBC.org.

Please DIAL 211 for after-hours support, senior home delivery or other questions. Or visit the County of Santa Barbara’s 211 website.

Cox Communications Extends Coronavirus Response Offer for Connect2Compete with Free Service for Students until July 15 Nationwide

Increased speeds, free service and remote support extension plus discounted laptops through partnerships help students finish out the school year strong

Recognizing that students will remain home to finish out the school year, Cox has extended free Connect2Compete service, the company’s low-cost internet offer for families with a K-12 student at home until July 15. Remote service support is also extended to ensure ease of implementation while students continue to learn at home during the Coronavirus pandemic. Customers that sign up between March 13 and May 15 are eligible for this offer and will receive free service until July 15.

“As schools across our California markets are operating Emergency Distance Learning (EDL) programs, Cox wants to ensure digital equity so that all K-12 students have the ability to access their curriculum, classmates and teachers from home,” said Sam Attisha, senior vice president and region manager for Cox Communications in California. “Extending the Connect2Compete program offer to July 15 ensures we keep the kids in our communities connected through the school year, and into the summer months when additional virtual learning may be required.”

Cox temporarily doubled download speeds for its Connect2Compete customers from 25 to 50 Mbps in mid-March. This increase will also continue through July 15.

“The expansion of the Connect2Compete program into the summer recognizes the reality that our students will need months of continued support to recover academically. This is the latest example of how our students have benefitted from our partnership with Cox Communications,” said Cindy Marten, superintendent of San Diego Unified School District. “For years, Cox has helped deliver business-class internet speeds to our classrooms. That is why we turned to them for help during the current crisis. Once again, they have stepped up to help our students succeed.”

In addition to connectivity, many students need equipment to get their work done. Cox continues to partner with local, regional and national organizations including PCs for People and Computers for Families in Santa Barbara, who provide discounted, refurbished laptops and accessories to families that qualify for the Connect2Compete program.

A summary of the latest enhancements to Cox’s Connect2Compete program include:

Limited time, free Connect2Compete service until July 15^th for customers who apply by May 15th, $9.95 thereafter
Until July 15, 2020, Cox is providing phone and remote desktop support through Cox Complete Care at no charge to provide peace of mind and ease for technology needs
Easy referral for discounted, refurbished equipment through PCs for People
Increased internet download speeds from 25 to 50 Mbps through July 15
A Learn from Home toolkit for schools, including instructions on how to fast-track eligible students without internet access, can be found at cox.com/connect2compete

Cindy Marten added, “Ever since we made the decision to close schools on March 13, San Diego Unified has been focused on two things - finding ways to get our students back to learning and making sure those learning opportunities are open to all students. Cox Communications has made it possible for us to keep those commitments.”

Cox continues to explore partnerships with top educational development organizations to provide content for Connect2Compete families this summer to keep them engaged and ready for the next school year. New programs and content will be found soon on The Cox Digital Academy, an extension of the Connect2Compete program that better equips children and parents to maximize the power of those connections with online tools.

The Cox Connect2Compete program is available to families who:

Have at least one child that is a K-12 student at home
Participate in one of these government subsidies programs: The National School Lunch Program, SNAP, TANF or Public Housing
Are not a current Cox Internet customer

There are no deposits or annual contracts with Connect2Compete, and self-installation with in-home Wi-Fi equipment is included at no additional charge.

Families can qualify for Connect2Compete by visiting www.cox.com/c2c.

Cox has contributed nearly $8 million in cash and in-kind COVID-related contributions throughout its Southern California markets, including San Diego, Orange County, Palos Verdes and Santa Barbara. For more information on Cox’s coronavirus relief efforts, visit cox.com.

About Cox Communications

Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through broadband applications and services. The largest private telecom company in America, we proudly serve six million homes and businesses across 18 states. We're dedicated to empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that makes each one unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox.

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