EveryoneOn and the Obama Administration Connect Low-Income Households Across the United States
Washington, DC (PRWEB) July 15, 2015 -- Today, EveryoneOn announced that it’s teaming with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to connect children and families in HUD-assisted housing with access to high-speed Internet. The pilot program, called ConnectHome, will accelerate broadband adoption and narrow the digital divide in communities across the nation. ConnectHome will address various barriers to broadband access, including the costs associated with high-speed service and electronic devices, and the need to provide residents with training in digital literacy.
EveryoneOn is collaborating with HUD and nonprofit U.S. Ignite to help implement this pilot. In each participating community, EveryoneOn is working with HUD to help coordinate involvement from public housing agencies, funders, Internet service providers, and community organizations that will ensure a holistic approach to Internet adoption.
“America’s challenge in this 21st century is to remain the world’s undisputed land of opportunity,” said HUD Secretary Julián Castro. “By expanding broadband adoption, ConnectHome will provide more Americans with the same high-speed access to knowledge and opportunity that millions of people already enjoy.”
The ConnectHome initiative will begin in the following 28 communities across the country: Little Rock, AR; Fresno, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Meriden, CT; Denver, CO; Washington, DC; Tampa, FL; Albany, GA; Atlanta, GA; Macon, GA; Rockford, IL; Baton Rouge, LA; New Orleans, LA; Boston, MA; Springfield, MA; Baltimore, MD; Kansas City, MO; Durham, NC; Camden, NJ; Newark, NJ; New York, NY; Cleveland, OH; Choctaw Nation, OK; Philadelphia, PA; Memphis, TN; Nashville, TN; San Antonio, TX; and Seattle, WA.
“HUD’s innovation and commitment to ConnectHome has created the opportunity to connect hundreds of thousands of individuals across the country,” said EveryoneOn Chief Executive Officer Zach Leverenz. “We’re excited to bring to bear our knowledge of home adoption to help ensure this program is as successful as possible.”
EveryoneOn, HUD, and U.S. Ignite have successfully secured commitments from a variety of companies, including providers like CenturyLink, Cox, and Sprint, which will be making low-cost Internet offers available to households in the public housing authorities. We have also received in-kind commitments from the American Library Association, PBS, College Board, and others to provide additional services such as digital literacy training, college preparatory classes, and other technology training. To learn more about these commitments, visit http://www.everyoneon.org/connecthome or connecthome.hud.gov.
In addition, you can follow #ConnectHome on social media to get the latest updates.
###
About EveryoneOn
EveryoneOn is a national nonprofit that aims to eliminate the digital divide by making high-speed, low-cost Internet, computers, and free digital literacy training accessible to all unconnected U.S. residents. For more information about EveryoneOn, visit EveryoneOn.org.
Sarah Graham, EveryoneOn, http://www.everyoneon.org, +1 (979) 877-4713, [email protected]
Share this article