Filmmaker and philanthropist Tyler Perry has donated nearly $1.4 million to several nonprofit organizations supporting families affected by the loss of benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. According to People, the funds are directed to groups that serve children, seniors, and low-income working households. Perry, 56, distributed the donation across multiple organizations, including Atlanta Community Food Bank, Baby2Baby, Meals on Wheels Atlanta, Caring for Others, All for Lunch, Ron Clark Academy, and Goodr. In a statement shared with People, Perry spoke about the impact of reduced food assistance on families. “If you’ve never been poor then you may not fully understand the life-changing impact SNAP benefits mean to hard-working people, to our seniors and to our children,” he said. “For millions of people, it could mean extreme hunger. For newborns, it could mean a lack of access to formula.” Perry described...

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has put its Talent x Opportunity (TxO) program on hold, marking an unexpected shift in the firm’s efforts to support founders from underserved communities, TechCrunch reports. Launched in 2020, as AFROTECH™ previously reported, the program aimed to bridge gaps in venture capital access for entrepreneurs, particularly women and minority founders, by offering mentorship, funding, and industry connections. The a16z TxO fund pause comes after five years of operations, during which the program supported more than 60 companies, per TechCrunch, including Brown Girl Magazine, food tech startup Myles Comfort Foods, and maternity tech company Villie. Participants benefitted from a 16-week training program, access to a professional network, and $175,000 in investments via a donor-advised fund managed by the nonprofit Tides Foundation. In 2024, TxO expanded to include grants of $50,000 each for three nonprofits focused on tech entrepreneurship in underserved...

The construction of hyperscale AI data centers is booming across the United States, but non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) keep many details hidden from affected communities. According to NBC News, major tech companies require landowners and public officials to sign NDAs to receive limited information and the promise of economic benefits. In March 2025, three men approached Dr. Timothy Grosser and his son Andy with a $10 million offer for their 250-acre Mason County, KY, farm — 35 times what they paid in 1988 and far above local land prices. The buyers refused to reveal their identities, with one man claiming to represent a “Fortune 100 company” but offering no names — only an NDA. Dr. Grosser said the contract would have barred him from discussing the project, offering only limited details about its purpose, timeline, and size in return. “We refused to sign it,” Grosser said, per NBC. “I’m not selling my farm for any amount of money.” Grosser is among 20 residents offered deals to...

Is Walmart closing on November 1st? Many people are curious — and increasingly concerned — as the government shutdown continues with no clear end in sight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced in a notice on its website that the shutdown will cause Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to stop being issued starting Nov. 1, 2025. According to Newsweek, this could lead to a major drop in consumer spending for Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer. “Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01,” the USDA wrote on its website. The department attributed the continued shutdown to Senate Democrats’ failure to act. “We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,” the notice adds. “They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition...

A hub has opened in Houston’s historic Third Ward to combat health and housing disparities. Urban Public Health and Housing On Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2025, Texas Southern University unveiled a new Institute, Urban Public Health and Housing, which resides in the W.R. Banks Child Development Center, according to a news release . The 6,000-square-foot hub will address public health, affordable housing, and community wellness. It was also a focus area for the late Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who secured a $2 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the initiative, the Houston Chronicle reports. She wanted Third Ward to be the “example to impoverished communities around the nation.” “It’s a reinvestment in the future of urban public health, housing, and community empowerment,” said Michelle John, Texas Southern’s vice president for research and innovation, according to the outlet. The hub will offer conference and workforce training rooms,...

The U.S. government has been shut down since Oct. 1, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. Two weeks later, both the Republicans and Democrats show little sign of compromise. Senate Votes On Government Shutdown On Oct. 14, the Senate rejected the House-passed stopgap funding bill for an eighth time, a bill that would have funded the federal government through Nov. 21, NBC News reports . Another vote is scheduled for Oct. 15, according to the outlet. Republicans argue that Senate Democrats should approve the short-term funding measure to reopen the government and address policy differences separately, while Democrats insist that any funding bill must include provisions to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies. Republicans have accused Democrats of holding the government “hostage” to their healthcare priorities. On the other hand, Democrats see the debate over healthcare funding as a strategic opportunity to unite their party after the 2024 election and reset the narrative ahead of the 2026...

Millions of girls worldwide continue to face barriers that prevent them from completing their education. According to AP News, former First Lady Michelle Obama has announced a $2.5 million pledge through her Girls Opportunity Alliance to help address those challenges. The Obama Foundation initiative shared the news on Oct. 11, International Day of the Girl, committing funds to dozens of grassroots organizations that support girls’ education, the outlet reports. The grants will assist groups working to cover school costs, prevent child marriage, provide counseling for survivors of abuse, and promote access to learning opportunities. “These groups are changing the way girls see themselves in their own communities and in our world, helping create the leaders we need for the brighter future we all deserve,” Obama said in a video statement. “Because when our girls succeed, we all do.” Launched in 2018, the Girls Opportunity Alliance grew out of a White House initiative that invested more...

Digital Pioneers Academy, a tuition-free public charter school in Washington, DC , is testing a new strategy to boost attendance — paying students in cash. According to The Washington Post, nearly four in 10 students in DC are chronically absent, missing at least three weeks of school. Data shows that over half of Digital Pioneers’ high schoolers — most from low-income families — missed over 10 unexcused days last year. This year, the school, which teaches marketable computer science skills and habits of innovation, will randomly select 40 seniors to receive $50 a week, no strings attached, as part of a national study exploring how reducing poverty might impact a student’s life. “At Digital Pioneers Academy, we believe in removing barriers that stand in the way of student success,” Mashea Ashton, school founder and CEO, said in a news release. With a deadline of Oct. 3, 2025, for students to show interest, officials said more than 70 students — over half the senior class — have...