Giving Compass' Take:

• Reema Amin depicts the hardships facing families and students in New York as free internet deals begin to expire.

• How can the private and public sectors work together to elongate free internet deals? What are you doing to support those suffering from a lack of internet access during remote learning?

• Understand further the importance of your role as we continue to battle the coronavirus.

Some New York City students may soon find themselves without internet as free 60-day internet deals begin to expire.

Families who face financial hardships fear losing the connection that enables online learning before the academic year is over — and before summer school even begins.

Some nonprofit organizations have tried to fill the gap for internet service as thousands of city children struggled to get online when remote instruction started. iMentor — an organization that pairs high schoolers with mentors — sent 82 Verizon-donated hotspots to students who needed them, said Annie Forman, associate director of iMentor’s New York City partnerships.

Both Optimum, owned by Altice USA, and Spectrum, owned by Charter Communications, announced in March that they would offer free internet access for 60 days to new customers with K-12 or college students at home due to the pandemic. As classes moved online, a high-speed internet connection became a necessity for thousands of families across New York City who didn’t have broadband access and could not afford to pay for it.

Anticipating their free service would be cut off, De La Rosa called Spectrum on May 20 to ask if the service could be extended, but a customer representative told her that wouldn’t be possible, she said. The agent instead offered alternate service plans — including one for nearly $200, she recalled — but none are feasible for De La Rosa, who has been out of work for nearly two months.

Some nonprofit organizations have tried to fill the gap for internet service as thousands of city children struggled to get online when remote instruction started. iMentor — an organization that pairs high schoolers with mentors — sent 82 Verizon-donated hotspots to students who needed them, said Annie Forman, associate director of iMentor’s New York City partnerships.

Read the full article about free internet deals expiring in New York by Reema Amin at Chalkbeat New York.