Dear ECCF Friends,
Right now, young women in recovery in Lawrence are using new computers to work on their resumes, search for jobs and move on to a new chapter in their lives. In Haverhill, an increased number of residents are using the internet safely, connecting with faraway family and conducting telehealth appointments with their doctors. And across Essex County, Afghan evacuees are settling into their new lives a little easier by having access to critical online resources, all thanks to the collaborative work of Advancing Digital Equity.
We are particularly excited to give you this update on our collective progress to close the digital divide in our region because so much of the work that we have done together is coming to life. We are seeing the positive impact it is having on people in our communities. Our cross-sector coalition is growing stronger. And we continue to identify innovative solutions, like the new Telehealth Navigator program, that are breaking down layers of barriers for residents of Essex County.
It’s been six months since we started this work, and we are proud to report that we are on track to exceed many of the goals we set out to achieve. But there is so much more work to be done to give more residents ACCESS to the internet, reliable EQUIPMENT to get online and digital literacy EDUCATION to successfully navigate the digital world. These things are now just as necessary to everyday life as electricity or clean water.
Bridging the digital gap for the one in five households here that don’t have a computer, and the 160,000 residents that don’t have access to fixed broadband, is helping to give people equitable opportunities to live happier, healthier more productive lives. We are so grateful to the many people who have supported this work and urge anyone who is interested in learning more about how to help move it forward to reach out to us.
Sincerely,
