BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Un-carrier’s commitment to small towns is adding up in a big way. T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) is announcing its latest 25 Hometown Grant recipients to bring the total to 150, and it’s not even halfway into T-Mobile’s five-year, $25 million initiative that launched in April 2021 to support small towns across America through funding community projects. But already, the results are paying off for recipients all over the country, where projects include revitalized parks, small business incubators, sustainability programs, building renovations, community art efforts and ADA play structures.
“Hometown Grants are truly making a difference in small towns,” said Jon Freier, President, Consumer Group at T-Mobile. “Beyond the $6.8 million we’ve provided in funding to our 150 grant recipients so far, we’ve also seen $2 million in matching funds from other local resources, which is huge. It’s been humbling to see T-Mobile creating a positive lasting impact in communities both through our grant funding and giving back to small businesses all over the country.”
These are the next 25 Hometown Grant winners and their projects:
- Atmore, Ala.: Create a pollinator garden and farmer’s market space on downtown Mainstreet to inspire environmental economic development and promote community gathering.
- Safford, Ariz.: Complete Safford Theatre renovations to be an economic driver as a movie, performing arts and concert destination in downtown Safford.
- Farmersville, Calif.: Install new bleachers at Veteran's Park to continue supporting community gathering for various youth sports.
- Strasburg, Colo.: Construct a new 4-acre community park, led by The Strasburg Metro Parks & Recreation District, that will connect the local schools and recreation district and will serve as a community hub to support inclusive outdoor wellness for the town, area schools and surrounding communities along the I-70 corridor.
- Fort Pierce, Fla.: Create an outdoor urban market and event space, which includes a library, co-working spaces, and resources for entrepreneurs and residents in the Lincoln Park Community.
- Lake Placid, Fla.: Transform a vacant, unused space into a demonstration garden aimed to teach the community environmental stewardship and agribusiness skills to fulfill food insecurity within the area.
- Cedartown, Ga.: Build Goodyear Skate Park to serve as a positive recreational outlet for youth in the area and added attraction to Goodyear Park's Phase II development of additional soccer fields, walking trail and parking area.
- Storm Lake, Iowa: Create Harmony Garden, a welcoming gathering place for all residents in the downtown area, featuring outdoor musical instruments representing multiple cultures, along with accessible seating, game tables, covered area and outdoor electronics charging.
- Sterling, Ill.: Create the Shoppes at Grandon Plaza, a retail incubator space for local entrepreneurs to test and develop valuable business skills and increase economic growth downtown.
- Kendallville, Ind.: Launch a business incubator and affordable co-working space to support the small business community with necessary tools and resources to drive growth within the community.
- Absarokee, Mont.: Revitalize the Absarokee Library, a vital local gathering space, since the community has been devastated by wildfires and flooding.
- Elizabethtown, N.C.: Transform the Cape Fear Farmers Market space, including a covered stage for events, information center and local murals to support small businesses and promote family gathering.
- Princeville, N.C.: Build the Princeville Farmer's Market space at Heritage Park to provide the community with direct access to local and healthy food options and support small businesses.
- Claremont, N.H.: Transform a vacant historic building into the Claremont Creative Center, a multi-use space for art exhibitions, performances, teaching visual and performing arts.
- Bound Brook, N.J.: Build a soccer field, including sports performance, wellness and nutrition resources, to provide affordable and vital access to sports programs for youth and adults in the community.
- Burlington, N.J.: Create a community marketplace including a grocery store, restaurant, classroom, garden, and juice bar to address food insecurity within the neighborhood.
- Española, N.M.: Restore water fountains at the Plaza de Española, a historic and cultural hub for economic development and community events.
- Akwesasne, N.Y.: Install Haudenosaunee Smoke Dancer sculptures in the newly developed Sken:nen Park along the St. Regis River to pay tribute to the community’s cultural heritage.
- Shawnee, Okla.: Transform a vacant lot into a community parklet and garden, to support South Central Industries community revitalization initiatives and improve the quality of life within the community.
- Easton, Penn.: Transform Centre Square’s inner alley streets, including walkability and beautification upgrades to sidewalks, street lighting, planters, seating and murals to provide a pedestrian-friendly area for the community to gather.
- Florence, S.C.: Create the North Dargan Street Mural Pocket Park, a vibrant public space aimed to increase community gathering and redevelopment opportunities in the northern end of the Downtown Florence Historic District.
- Pendleton, S.C.: Renovate the historic Pendleton Community Center, including updates to electrical, flooring and walls to preserve the building’s history and continue to be a vital resource and space for the community.
- Cleveland, Texas: Transform an unused masonic lodge into the Cleveland Youth Center, led by T.U.F.F. Kids, aimed to provide technology, college and career preparation tools and resources for youth.
- New Richmond, Wis.: Build VFW Post 10818’s Freedom Park Center, a new facility that will provide St. Croix County veterans, seniors, youth and the wider community with health, wellness and recreational services.
- Charleston, W.V.: Revitalize the YWCA Charleston Center for Racial Equity and Inclusion into a state-of-the-art facility to increase awareness and available resources to the community.
T-Mobile works with Main Street America and Smart Growth America to select Hometown Grant recipients. These two organizations have decades of experience helping to build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities. Application assessments are based on level of detail and completeness, potential community impact, project viability and other factors.
“The T-Mobile Hometown Grant program has made a massive impact in small towns and rural communities across the country,” said Main Street America Interim CEO Hannah White. “Grantees have renovated historic spaces, built new playgrounds and parks, and spurred innovative placemaking projects that are bringing community members together in new and meaningful ways. We are thrilled to partner with T-Mobile and Smart Growth America to continue this important work in places that are too-often overlooked.”
“Smart Growth America applauds T-Mobile's investments in each of the 25 towns selected to receive a T-Mobile grant,” said Smart Growth America President and CEO Calvin Gladney. “The work in these communities reflects a commitment to supporting small businesses, investing in historic downtowns, and creating vibrant gathering spaces.”
T-Mobile awards Hometown Grants each quarter for up to 25 towns with a population of less than 50,000 people. Anyone with a vision for how to make their community even stronger than it is today can apply.
Commitment to Rural America
Hometown Grants are part of the Un-carrier’s massive 5-year commitment announced in April 2021 to bring 5G to rural America, open hundreds of new stores and support economic development in small towns by providing $25 million in funding.
Beyond amazing deals on plans and new devices, the Un-carrier launched Home Internet last year. With T-Mobile, more than 40 million households – a third of them in rural America – are eligible for 5G Home Internet.
For full details on how to submit a proposal for Hometown Grants, visit https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/hometown-grants.
For more information on past Hometown Grant recipients, visit the T-Mobile Newsroom here, here, and here.
For more information about T-Mobile's commitment to small towns, visit T-Mobile.com/AcrossAmerica.
Follow T-Mobile’s Official Twitter Newsroom @TMobileNews to stay up to date with the latest company news.
About T-Mobile
T-Mobile US Inc. (NASDAQ: TMUS) is America’s supercharged Un-carrier, delivering an advanced 4G LTE and transformative nationwide 5G network that will offer reliable connectivity for all. T-Mobile’s customers benefit from its unmatched combination of value and quality, unwavering obsession with offering them the best possible service experience and undisputable drive for disruption that creates competition and innovation in wireless and beyond. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Sprint. For more information please visit: https://www.t-mobile.com.
About Main Street America
Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for over 40 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $95.33 billion in new public and private investment, generated 717,723 net new jobs and 161,036 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 314,431 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit www.mainstreet.org.
About Smart Growth America
Smart Growth America envisions a country where no matter where you live, or who you are, you can enjoy living in a place that is healthy, prosperous, and resilient. We empower communities through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to realize our vision of livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity, https://smartgrowthamerica.org/.
