Advancing Digital Equity Newsletter | June 2021

Dear ECCF Friends,   Today, so much of what we do in our lives requires the use of technology: gathering information, visiting healthcare providers, making appointments, learning, working, applying for work or seeking aid in times of need. To complete these tasks – and more – you generally need access to a device, reliable broadband service and the know-how to navigate the digital world.   But for 60,000 households in Essex County, this is not a reality. And it’s holding so many of our residents back from the quality of life they deserve.  Advancing Digital Equity, ECCF’s $2.5M, multi-year initiative, aims to change that. Together, we hope to empower thousands of residents with the access, tools and learning needed to fully participate in the digital world. This is no longer just a nice-to-have. As COVID-19 so dramatically confirmed, digital access is a basic need that is required to engage in daily life.   In this first Digital Equity newsletter, you can read about what led us here and how the work is evolving. We hope the stories and news within inform and inspire you to think about ways you might be able to get involved. Please contact us anytime for more information or to share your ideas. At ECCF, we are always eager to listen.   Sincerely,

Stratton Lloyd Executive Vice President & COO Kate Machet Director of Strategic Initiatives

Advancing Digital Equity Launch Event On June 10, ECCF publicly launched the Advancing Digital Equity initiative with nearly 150 attendees via a live Zoom session. Read the full press release.

First Meeting of the Essex County Digital Equity Coalition On June 1, 65 members of a new coalition that will work together to advance digital equity in Essex County met for the first time to jumpstart the collaborative work to get every resident online and engaged in the digital world. Read the full story.

ECCF Partners with Tech Goes Home Learn more about ECCF's partnership with Tech Goes Home to increase digital equity by expanding digital inclusion programming in key communities.  Read the full story.

New collaboration will help increase internet access across Essex County A new collaboration between ECCF and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative will support vital WiFi community hotspots in our Gateway Cities. Read the full Salem News story.

Digital Equity Featured at ECCF's Rising Together Event Hear from ECCF and the North Shore CDC about why advancing digital equity is critical to the rebuilding and recovery of our neighborhoods from COVID-19. See this and more videos from the event.

The Work: Advancing Digital Equity Take a deep dive into ECCF's systems approach to address the digital divide in Essex County by providing equitable access to the internet, an affordable computing device and the digital literacy to use them effectively. Learn more about the work.

Data Report: Striving for Digital Equity A baseline analysis of how the digital divide impacts each of Essex County’s 34 cities and towns produced by ECCF in partnership with the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tisch College, Tufts University. Read the full report.

JOIN US IN THIS WORK! Advancing Digital Equity is powered by contributions from the community. Join us in empowering thousands of Essex County residents with the access, tools and learning to fully participate in the digital world. Donate to support the work.