Detroit Regional Chamber > Chamber > Rocket Mortgage Classic Raises Money to Bridge Detroit’s Digital Divide

Rocket Mortgage Classic Raises Money to Bridge Detroit’s Digital Divide

July 2, 2024

Axios Detroit
July 2, 2024
Joe Guillen

This year’s Rocket Mortgage Classic gave fans a thrilling finish on Sunday, but tournament organizers expect its impact in the city to continue year-round.

The big picture: Access to the internet and digital devices is a citywide priority, with about 220,000 residents who are at or below the poverty line.

State of play: The Rocket Mortgage Classic has contributed $4.3 million since 2019 to its “Changing the Course” initiative, which provides residents with high-speed internet, digital devices and digital training.

The latest: This year’s Area 313 Challenge raised more than $200,000 in donations, triggered when golfers scored birdies or better on holes 14, 15, and 16.

  • Total contributions from last weekend’s tournament will be announced once the books are closed later this year.

What they’re saying: “This tournament is about more than golf,” Rocket Mortgage CEO Varun Krishna said on CBS during the final round.

  • “It’s about raising awareness and funds to bridge the digital divide,” he said. “We’ve still got some work to do but this is a very strong moment of pride for us.”
  • Zoom in: Human-I-T, a discount computer store near the Avenue of Fashion, celebrated its first anniversary in June with support from the Rocket Community Fund.

    • Human-I-T is a nonprofit that opened its first e-waste processing facility in the Los Angeles area.
    • The store on 7 Mile has five employees and offers low-cost devices, monthly internet plans and digital training. Since opening, Human-I-T has sold 320 computers and 220 accessories, Jennifer Jambor, Human-I-T’s senior manager of partnerships, tells Axios.