2020 in Review: The Year in Pictures
A transformative year shaped by unprecedented challenges. The ITDRC team and volunteers described 2020 as “a year like no other,” expanding their operational footprint with additional deployment sites and equipment distribution reaching record levels.
Field operations required enhanced safety protocols. Teams adapted their standard technical training to incorporate protective measures safeguarding both themselves and vulnerable populations they served. Physical distancing became standard practice — “fist bumps” and “elbow high-fives” replaced conventional greetings — yet these constraints fueled determination rather than limitation. The recurring question shifted from “How are we going to do this?” to “How can we do more?”
The organization’s volunteer base demonstrated remarkable commitment to underserved communities throughout the pandemic. Their dedication represents a legacy future generations will recognize with pride.
Tatums, Oklahoma
An isolated farming community sought assistance as pandemic-related school closures threatened educational access. Rural children lacked home internet connectivity necessary for remote learning. Farmers, understanding internet’s contemporary importance despite generations of agricultural tradition, welcomed ITDRC’s intervention. Technicians established WiFi broadcasting from the local church using donated satellite infrastructure, extending connectivity throughout the neighborhood.
Earthquakes in Puerto Rico
Following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, residents sheltered in temporary facilities while aftershocks continued. ITDRC’s Tech Task Force deployed equipment and expertise, establishing WiFi and video streaming across shelter locations. Evacuees maintained communication with relatives and accessed entertainment during weeks of uncertainty.
Sister M. Paulina Cardona Echevarria established a prayer tent at her convent for survivors. She noted her commitment to Puerto Rico’s recovery: “I spend 50% of my time praying for Puerto Rico and 50% of my time helping Puerto Rico.”
Don’t Walk By, New York City
February brought collaboration between ITDRC’s Region 2 team and the Salvation Army. Volunteers developed technology solutions enabling street canvassing teams to connect homeless individuals with food, medical, and social services. NYC-based volunteers invested weeks planning, coding, testing, and deploying integrated software and hardware systems for volunteer dispatch operations.
Brilliant Detroit
ProjectConnect teams installed over 600 homework hotspot sites nationwide. Brilliant Detroit, a nonprofit operating five community centers serving 5,000 children annually, faced closure but remained committed to community support. The organization’s co-founder observed: “The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the tears in the U.S. safety net and stretched our families further.”
ITDRC’s WiFi hotspot installations in underserved neighborhoods restored virtual connectivity during lockdowns, supporting student education, health services, and family assistance programs.
Crisis Counseling, New Mexico
Mental health crises escalated significantly, with unprecedented demand for anxiety and depression support. Face-to-face counseling posed exposure risks to both patients and clinicians. ITDRC distributed handheld tablets to New Mexico social workers, enabling telehealth and video-based patient communication.
Hurricane Laura, Louisiana
Category 4 Hurricane Laura devastated Lake Charles and surrounding areas, severing communications at all 70 Calcasieu Parish school campuses. Network Supervisor Yvette Ardoin and two colleagues sheltered in their datacenter’s vault, riding out the storm while protecting critical infrastructure. Despite personal property loss and home damage, the team worked continuously for three weeks restoring student and faculty access.
Ardoin’s team acknowledged ITDRC’s impact: “Our problems were so big, ITDRC heard about us.” The organization provided technical assistance, infrastructure evaluation, and temporary connectivity supporting community recovery.
Dam Failure, Michigan
May brought catastrophic dam failures forcing 10,000+ evacuations. Approximately 2,500 properties sustained damage or destruction. ITDRC deployed communications resources and technical expertise for damage assessment and community recovery efforts. Many residents sought rebuilding, yet hundreds of wells remained dry despite proximity to lakes and rivers.
Hoh Tribe, Washington State
After eight years awaiting internet access, ITDRC fulfilled hopes of parents and children serving the Hoh Reservation. The tribe’s 1,600-acre territory experienced complete cellular coverage gaps, leaving children without online access during pandemic lockdowns.
Technicians installed outdoor WiFi broadcasting from the council office across the parking lot. Within hours, children gathered on office steps for gaming, socializing, and completing schoolwork. Council member MelvinJohn Ashue reflected: “This generation is going to show us a lot and this Internet will change the way we live, our children will show them they are worth it.”
California Wildfires
The Creek Fire ranked among California’s fourth-largest wildfires, consuming 380,000 acres and destroying 856 structures in the Fresno area. Over 30,000 residents evacuated. California’s Governor’s Office of Emergency Services engaged ITDRC for aerial and street-level damage assessments.
High-resolution imagery collection enabled civil engineers to review damage remotely, expediting documentation and recovery processes. Region 9 volunteer and professional drone pilot John Mosher expressed enthusiasm: “I really get excited about how this technology can help, I like to bring technology where it is needed.”
Repatriation Flight Quarantine Shelter
January’s coronavirus emergency prompted rapid pandemic preparation. ITDRC’s Region 9 team provided connectivity at a temporary quarantine shelter in Ontario, California, initially intended for 200+ passengers from a China repatriation flight. The group subsequently transferred to more appropriate military base accommodations.
