Tag: digital inclusion

Community Centers Fairview

Why Broadband is a Game-Changer for Community Centers

Post author By Marc Czarnecki
Post date September 10, 2023

Broadband Connectivity At A Community Center

Broadband is crucial for a community center, internet both inside and outside its premises.

Why is Broadband a Game-Changer for Community Centers?

Connectivity Inside the Building

Digital Inclusion: Provides access to those who can’t afford it at home.
Education: Enables online learning resources and courses.
Community Engagement: Facilitates virtual town halls and community meetings.

Connectivity Outside the Building

Public Wi-Fi: Extends the reach to nearby parks and public spaces.
Emergency Services: Allows quick access to online emergency resources.
Local Businesses: Supports online operations for nearby small businesses.

The Bottom Line

Broadband isn’t just a service; it’s a community lifeline.

Investing in high-speed broadband for your community center is an investment in the future.

SMCC Website

Visit the Spring Mountain Community Center (SMCC) website at: https://springmountaincc.com/

Tags Community, Connectivity, digital inclusion

Digital Divide Haywood County Laptop

Laptops for WNC

Post author By Marc Czarnecki
Post date June 16, 2023

The digital divide is the opportunity gap between those who have ready-access to computers and the internet, and those who do not.

In this day and age, one cannot prosper without full access to online resources.

E2D collects used laptops from generous corporations, refurbishes them in student-led technology labs, and distributes them to student families who don’t have a computer at home.

WNC Broadband and the associated Southwestern and Mountain Area Regional Councils of Government can be proud to have engaged with E2D at the Mill Town Strong Career & Resource Fair in Canton on June 16 where hundreds of laptops were provided to workforce and economic development representatives from Western North Carolina to benefit local families and students.

Home | E2D | Davidson | Computer Donation, https://www.e-2-d.org/. Accessed 21 June 2023.

Tags digital divide, digital inclusion

Advocacy Broadband in WNC Digital Inclusion Education Local Government Workforce

Digital Inclusion Individuals

Post author By Marc Czarnecki
Post date October 4, 2021

During the Digital Inclusion week from October 4th through October 8th, the Western North Carolina Broadband Project Team aims to help you navigate the topic of digital inclusion. At the heart of digital inclusion are the community individuals that steward broadband for our future.

Who are the individual WNC Broadband Project liaisons?

WNC Broadband Project Team

Incepted in 2017, the Western North Carolina Project began to support communities interested in ensuring access to reliable, truly high-speed internet service. The team empowers individuals, communities, and area leaders in advocating effectively for their digital needs.

The WNC Broadband Project was created to augment what WestNGN has done to promote broadband among governmental units. Involving many of the same people, the WNC Broadband Project aims to provide information, support neighborhoods interested in ensuring access to high-speed internet service and advocate for an inclusive broadband strategy.

The WNC Broadband Project intends to develop tools to empower individuals, communities, and area leaders to achieve area coverage and inclusiveness.

William Sederburg, Chair of the WNC Broadband Project

Leading the WNC Broadband Project is Dr. William Sederburg. His vision includes the “WNC Broadband Future is Not Just a Rural Problem.”

Dr. William Sederburg, Retired College President, Chair of WNCBP

WNC Broadband Project Advisory Board

Advisory council members are serving as involved citizens, not as representatives of their organizations.

WNC Broadband Users

Broadband individual users include:

Students and teachers
Business and workforce users
Healthcare individuals

Digital inclusion aims to level the availability, understanding, and affordability of internet communication technologies.

#digitalequity #DIW2021 #digitalequityNOW

Tags digital inclusion

Broadband access Broadband in WNC Community Development Devices Digital Divide Digital Inclusion

Bridging the Digital Divide

Post author By Marc Czarnecki
Post date January 22, 2021

IEI BAND-NC Broadband Initiative

First in Digital Inclusion

While Western North Carolina continues to strive for opportunities to maximize our broadband growth, the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI), BAND-NC, and NC Broadband Infrastructure Office have a goal of increasing the number of North Carolinians with internet in their homes, making NC “first in digital inclusion.”

Community Challenges

The program outlined four challenges communities have in including all families in broadband services:

Access—getting broadband into homes
Subscriptions—helping families afford broadband services. In all, just 59% of North Carolina families subscribe to broadband services
Devices—ensuring that children and adults have the equipment they need to take classes, work from home, or access health care
Technical Assistance—assisting families in learning how to effectively use high-speed access

BAND-NC asks communities to develop solutions that address each of these issues. Data from the NC Broadband Infrastructure Office shows wide disparities in adoption of broadband services, with both a rural-urban and an income divide. The ultimate goal of the program is to make North Carolina the first state in the nation where every county has a digital inclusion plan in place.

Join the WNC Broadband Initiative in making Western North Carolina more ‘digitally inclusive.’

Corning Optical Communications joins IEI BAND-NC broadband initiative to bridge digital divide. (2021, January 22). Institute for Emerging Issues. https://iei.ncsu.edu/2021/corning-optical-communications-joins-iei-band-nc-broadband-initiative-to-bridge-digital-divide/

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Tags digital inclusion

Asheville Broadband access Broadband in WNC Community Development Digital Equity Digital Inclusion

Make Internet Available

Digital Inclusion Week (DIW) aims to raise awareness of solutions addressing home internet access, personal devices, and local technology training and support programs.

DIW2020 is sponsored by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance representing more than 450 affiliated organizations in 44 states working toward digital equity.

Kenneth Merritt – “number one is making the internet available for everyone, making it accessible for everyone”

Digital Inclusion

The ability of individuals and groups to access and use information and communication technologies.

Digital Equity

The condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy and economy.

Digital equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment lifelong learning, and access to essential services.

Stay Connected

This is the best time in our history of the continental US is that we stay connected. This is this is a time where individuals need to be informed. The internet is a great tool to use to stay informed and you can do it
Kenneth Merritt

Tags digital equity, Digital Equity Now, digital inclusion, diw20

Broadband access Broadband in WNC Community Development Digital Divide Digital Equity Digital Inclusion Economic Development Education

Digital Inclusion Week

October 5th Starts DIW

Digital equity refers to whether people can access and effectively use the technology necessary to participate in modern society.

Starting Monday, October 5th; the WNC Broadband Project Team starts contributing to an international event – Digital Inclusion Week or DIW.

DIW aims to raise awareness of solutions addressing home internet access, personal devices, and local technology training and support programs.

DIW2020 is sponsored by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance representing more than 450 affiliated organizations in 44 states working toward digital equity.

Call To Action: Show Your Support

Take our CTA or Call-To-Action and email DigitalInclusion@WNCBroadband.org to share your stories of how, when, where, and why digital inclusion is important to you and your WNC community.

Even better, please let us know if you would engage this topic with us on: