Meta’s Huntsville Data Center gives $90,000 to area schools

• Published: Mar. 28, 2023, 12:06 p.m.

By   Paul Gattis | [email protected]

The Meta, formerly known as Facebook, data center in Huntsville is awarding $90,000 in grants to area schools as part of its annual community action grants initiative.
Altogether, Meta is donating $217,950 to nine entities in the Huntsville area for 2023. And since announcing plans for the data center in 2018, grants have eclipsed $2.5 million.

“The Meta Data Center Community Action Grants program was created to address needs in Madison County by putting the power of technology to use for community benefit, connecting people online or off and improving STEM education,” Meta said in the announcement.
Here are the grants and the projects they will help fund:

• First Stop ($17,700) - This grant will bridge the digital divide in the homeless community through increased digital connectivity, access, and education.
• Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater (& Academy) ($50,000) - This grant will enable the ability to provide free and reduced training and production programming to under resourced youth and title 1 schools, thereby connecting area youth to each other, their communities, and a successful future.
• 100 Black Men of Greater Huntsville ($10,000) - This grant will create a mentoring pipeline with students who can help shape our future by supporting the STEAMposium event, which will serve as a platform to educate and expose participants to various career opportunities.
• Huntsville City Schools ($10,000) - The grant will allow Huntsville City Schools to provide hands on resources, including Raspberry Pis, for middle school computer science classrooms enhancing the experience for the students.
• The Cap & Gown Project ($15,000) - This grant will enable better, more equitable college preparation, STEM education, and college access for students across Huntsville City Schools and the surrounding area.
• Madison City Schools ($30,000) - This grant will create a Middle School Meta Makerspace in middle school libraries that serves as a STEM collaboration space that is accessible to all
• Madison County School System ($50,000) - This grant will enhance STEM education and opportunities, create equitable experiences, and to spark interest in STEM career fields throughout Madison County and Alabama.
• Mae Jemison High School Robotics Club via Greater Huntsville Rotary Foundation ($10,250) - This grant will further STEM education and application among high school students through leadership and skills training provided through the robotics program and adult mentorship.
• Huntsville-Madison County Library Foundation ($25,000) - This grant will create a STEM MakerSpace Studio at the Downtown Library to enhance existing programming and provide greater opportunities for Library patrons to explore their roles as inventors, creators, and problem-solvers.

Source: https://www.al.com/news/2023/03/metas-huntsville-data-center-gives-90000-to-area-schools.html​