On Sunday, September 20, 2026, students, teachers, parents, and older adults filled Brown's Temple Ministry in Pompano Beach, Florida, to pick up free tablets from Figgers Foundation. For many of these families, it was the first device they could count on at home.
From a Tablet to a New Opportunity
Since 2018, Figgers Foundation has worked by one motto: "Rise by Lifting Others." Its mission is to help families facing hardship by providing the resources, support, and opportunities they need to overcome challenges.
The Foundation envisions a future where education is a right for everyone and no one is held back simply because they lack access to technology. That belief is reflected in its work to close the digital divide, improve health equity, and provide critical services to people who need them most. A tablet in a child's hands is one small example of that vision becoming reality.
Brown's Temple Ministry has served Pompano Beach for nearly 60 years. It welcomes everyone, regardless of faith or background, and provides education, food, and wellness resources to neighbors in need. That record made it a natural partner for the Foundation.
Many families at the ministry are single-parent households, where getting every child the tools for school is a daily struggle. A tablet is a hard expense to fit into that budget.
For These Families, a Tablet Can Make School a Little Easier
Education is one of the areas where the digital divide can have an especially direct impact. Students increasingly rely on computers and tablets to complete assignments, conduct research, access educational platforms, communicate with teachers, and participate in virtual learning. Without a reliable device at home, keeping up with school can become much harder.
Expanding access to technology for education is also part of the broader work of the Figgers Foundation. Its programs use technology to help students and families gain access to learning, employment opportunities, communication, and other essential online resources. At Brown's Temple, that meant putting those tools directly into the hands of families who could use them.
This specific need is reflected in the data. According to U.S. Census Bureau data for 2024, about 23% of Pompano Beach residents do not have a high school diploma, and roughly 12% live below the poverty line.
With a tablet, students can do homework online, join a virtual class, research assignments, and access the same digital resources increasingly used in classrooms. Hundreds of tablets went out to the community.
Christian, a father of three, picked up tablets for himself and his kids. "My kids are going to use the tablets for school," he said.
Teachers and Older Adults Get Connected
The impact extended beyond students. Teachers received tablets for digital classroom resources and teaching tools beyond the textbook, giving them another way to access materials and support their students.
Tablets also went to older adults, including grandparents, who can now video call distant family and look up health and wellness information more easily. It reflects a broader idea behind the Foundation's technology programs, which is to provide digital access to people at all stages of life, whether they are learning, teaching, working, or simply trying to stay connected.
Darlene Brown-Ponder, director at Brown's Temple Ministry and president of Brown's Community Development, said the partnership will make a real difference.
“Because it is a disadvantaged area and there are a lot of single parents, they are now able to have a tablet for each child so that they can improve their education,” she said. “So, (I am) really excited that the Figgers Foundation has partnered with us so we can provide those resources to the community.”
One Tablet, One Family, One More Way Forward
The Pompano Beach distribution is part of a greater effort, and the Figgers Foundation has partnered with several organizations to distribute tablets in the area. Through technology, opportunities for incarcerated people, and support for families in hard times, we help them get a new start.
Throughout the years, Figgers Foundation has served hundreds of communities throughout America and even worldwide, helping bridge the digital access gap, promoting education, and giving second chances to people who deserve it the most.
The Foundation thanks Brown's Temple Ministry, director Darlene Brown-Ponder, Figgers Foundation Director Santay Thompson, and all the volunteers who made the distribution possible.
