The League of United Latin American Citizens says Latinos are under represented in the program because large numbers of Latino families that might qualify for a Lifeline wireless phone don’t even know about the program. LULAC is pushing for expansion of the program amid concerns that it might be scaled back. Executive Director Brent Wilkes says the phones are key to finding work, staying safe and staying healthy.
“There’s some clear evidence that more and more people are getting health advice and even health monitoring through their cell phones, through their wireless connections, we’ve been looking at apps that are available for smart phones which will even monitor heart rates”, Wilkes said.Florida is one of 39 states that participates in the Lifeline program, and enrollment is quite high. Miami, with over 85,000 subscribers, ranks #3 in the country for Lifeline participation. Tampa is ranked number 13, and Orlando, with over 4,000 enrolled, ranks 14th.