Detroit – Focus: HOPE and two nonprofit partners will receive $3 million in newly-awarded Federal broadband stimulus funds to support broadband Internet training and adoption by more than 5,000 low-income households in Detroit’s Central Woodward/North End and Osborn neighborhoods.
The funds are Detroit’s share of an $18.7 million Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) award announced today by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The two-year BTOP grant, awarded to a national coalition of organizations led by Cleveland’s OneCommunity, will enable community-based agencies to engage, train, equip and support over 25,000 new “sustainable broadband adopters” in Detroit and six other communities in Ohio, Kentucky, Florida and Mississippi.
Focus: HOPE leads the “Connect Your Community Project” in Detroit, working in partnership with the Child Care Coordinating Council of Wayne County (4C) and Matrix Human Services. Other partners and supporters of the effort include Wayne State University, the Community Telecommunications Network (CTN), and the Henry Ford Health System. The coalition’s successful stimulus funding proposal was endorsed by Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and Wayne County Executive Robert A. Ficano.
The partners will use most of the stimulus dollars to hire local residents who will conduct intensive outreach campaigns, teach basic computer and Internet skills, and assist newly-trained broadband users to find and connect to affordable Internet service. Grant funds will also help pay for expanded computer training capacity in the targeted neighborhoods.
“We are ready to mobilize in this landmark multi-state effort to bring the benefits of affordable and sustainable high speed Internet connectivity to the low-income, underserved, and often isolated children, adults, and seniors within our neighborhoods,” said William F. Jones, Jr., CEO of Focus: HOPE, the lead partner in Detroit.
Focus: HOPE will work closely with 4C and Matrix to directly engage, train, equip and support the residents of their respective communities. “Through low- or no-cost broadband availability, our community members will at last be able to access educational and training resources, search and apply for employment opportunities, and effectively use online community and world-wide services,” said Jones.
In a related effort, CTN, Focus: HOPE, 4C, Matrix and Wayne State are partnering to deploy a wireless broadband network in the Central Woodward/ North End and Osborn neighborhoods. The new network will provide free or extremely affordable high speed Internet access for “Connect Your Community” participants, along with other community initiatives including neighborhood crime prevention. It is supported by grants and donations from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, CTN, and Clearwire.
“Matrix is excited to be a Detroit partner in the OneCommunity – Connect Your Community Project,” said Marcella Wilson, Ph.D., president and CEO of Matrix Human Services. “Besides creating additional jobs in the Osborn community, the project will engage and support 3,000 households being connected to broadband service, with adults and children receiving extensive computer training at the Matrix Human Services Center. This project will support the work already underway with the Skillman Foundation Osborn Good Neighborhood Initiative.”
The new broadband initiative will expand access in an area served by Child Care Coordinating Council Detroit/Wayne County Inc. where a pilot project has proven a tremendous asset for more than 100 families. “It has made a big difference in our community – and this grant will blow it up,” said Denise Wellons-Glover, project director. “Our pilot project has proven to be a cost savings for parents and has provided them and their children with opportunities and access to information they didn’t have before -- and we all know that information is power.” Just one example of the positive impact on the community is that some parents from the initial pilot are taking classes now. “We have parents going to school online. It is opening opportunities for young people, adults and seniors. This is an exciting time in the City of Detroit and, in particular, in the community this broadband initiative will serve. ”