Governor Cooper and Mayor Lyles announce the ‘Your Home, Your Internet program’

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Governor Roy Cooper is in Charlotte on Wednesday to address closing the digital divide after Inlivian won an FCC Grant to help do just that.

“‘Your Home, Your Internet’ is a pilot program designed to increase enrollment and awareness of the Affordable Connectivity Program among those receiving federal housing assistance. The Pilot Program provides grants to local housing authorities to fund innovative efforts to connect housing insecure residents in their communities,” according to the FCC.

The grant will provide hundreds of thousands of dollars to help increase internet connectivity in Charlotte.

“In July of 2022, Vice President Kamala Harris came to INLIVIAN’s Carole Hoefener Center to announce the Affordable Connectivity Program, which will provide a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers,” according to INLIVIAN.

“INLIVIAN announced today that they have been awarded one of the Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program–Pilot Grants from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The grant, just over $300,000, will go toward ensuring that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more,” according to the real estate holding company.

As the use of the internet for things like education, jobs, and bill payment, the digital divide is something that INLIVIAN and those in attendance are hoping to close.

“Closing the digital divide for low-income families is of utmost importance. In today’s increasingly digital world, access to reliable internet connection and technology is crucial for education, job opportunities, information access, and social inclusion,” said INLIVIAN CEO Fulton Meachem.  “It is virtually impossible to achieve any level of success without access to the internet. INLIVIAN seeks to empower our families so they may fully participate in the digital age. This grant will allow us, with our partners, to unlock countless opportunities and break the devastating cycle of poverty.”

Download the free WBTV News app for updates and breaking news.

Copyright 2023 WBTV. All rights reserved.