EveryoneOn Partner Dave Berka of United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Reveals Approach to Connect Milwaukee Residents to the Internet

“By accident.”

That’s how Dave Berka, project manager: Techquity and resource equity at United Way Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County (GMWC), described entering the digital inclusion space. Despite being new to digital equity, Dave became a key member of United Way’s recently formed Techquity Advisory Council–a community-

based initiative of cross-sector partners that connects residents in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington Counties to broadband, devices and digital skills. 

“Digital inclusion work was new to me at the time,” said Dave, referring to the onset of the pandemic in early 2020. Dave came to United Way GMWC in 2018 to connect local residents to health, financial and educational resources. The pandemic underscored the need for an immediate response to meet the community’s pressing internet connectivity and digital skills needs.

The impacts of COVID were life-changing. Seniors who relied on in-person medical visits were suddenly forced to adapt to virtual appointments, parents with little to no experience in digital skills had to help their children transition to online learning and many others found themselves out of work. 

“We began shifting our program and service delivery from in-person to virtual in March of 2020, which is also when we launched the Techquity Advisory Council at United Way,” said Dave. “It started as an emergency response to make sure folks could get online and access the resources they could no longer get in person.” 

Overcoming the challenges of transitioning residents to an online environment required a mighty  effort.

“Affordability is the single largest barrier to having high-speed home internet,” Dave shared. “50 to 60 thousand households in the area didn’t have devices to power the internet. We researched communities with the least number of devices and worked with a range of partners to get them into the hands of people who didn’t have them.”

Except securing an affordable internet connection was just one piece of the puzzle. Getting folks online required a bigger commitment and cross-sector collaboration.

As the Council gained momentum connecting residents, Dave and United Way GMWC drew on the Council’s relationships to create more solutions. This led to a partnership with Techquity Advisory Councilmember Thami Hastings who also serves as EveryoneOn’s Milwaukee senior programs manager. Together, they kicked off a program that provides the three essential pillars of connectivity: internet access, devices and digital skills.

“Thami has been a fabulous community advocate,” declared Dave. “Through our connection with her and EveryoneOn, United Way (GMWC) has opened up to new ideas and possibilities to address the digital divide at scale.” 

Before putting any ideas into action, the Councilmembers immersed themselves in research about the discriminatory decisions that created unequal access to affordable high-speed internet and digital skills in the region. Findings from the research led to the Councilmembers instituting new strategies that equipped residents with necessary digital skills to survive and thrive through the pandemic. The Council's success amassed funding sources for future projects and innovative partnerships and initiatives. These efforts complement more than 100 programs United Way GMWC already funds to provide devices to students, families and individuals dealing with major life challenges.

“I couldn’t have imagined the depth of research and information that exists about the digital divide, which has impacted Milwaukee residents even more since COVID,” said Dave. “It was a big learning curve for us on the Council, but it helped us understand the barriers to digital inclusion, the issues that preceded the pandemic and its impact on our communities whether it was housing, healthcare or financial stability.” 

With new research in hand, Dave and Councimembers began focusing on removing financial barriers to getting online. Despite the challenges, Dave is optimistic. 

“Building a network and ecosystem where all kinds of organizations and sectors are coordinating around shared goals and values for digital inclusion is powerful, and necessary for solving this problem,” said Dave. “With the roadmap we’re building, we’ll be able to ensure everyone in Milwaukee can get online.”

While Dave acknowledges success doesn’t happen overnight, the Techquity Advisory Council is celebrating its incremental wins. With the ongoing support of EveryoneOn and United Way GMWC, Dave and his fellow Councilmembers are determined to create a future where all Milwaukee residents feel safe and confident navigating the online world. 

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