Getting kids online in Tennessee

Connected Tennessee has selected Chattanooga’s Partnership for Families, Children and Adults and the Children’s Home/Chambliss Shelter as the recipients of its latest donation.

Joining up with AT&T, Connected Tennessee – a Speed Matters partner – is giving “disadvantaged Tennessee children and families the opportunity to participate in the educational, economic and civic opportunities made possible through having a computer in the home,” according to Connected Tennessee’s website.

Aurelya Taylor, one of the students who will be using the new computer lab said:

“It’s easier now [to do my homework] because [in the past] we didn’t have enough time to get out of the group home and get to the library to get our work done.”

According to Connected Tennessee’s website, “almost half of the low-income families in Tennessee cite a lack of a computer at home as the reason they are not accessing the Internet.”

By getting computers in the hands of children, not only is Computers for Kids giving underprivileged youth the ability to learn technological skills and access to the wealth of information on the Internet; the program is creating more demand for broadband which benefits the entire community.

Connected Tennessee plans to award 1000 computers each year to children across the state for the next three years.

State organization giving local children new opportunities (WCRBtv)

Computers for Kids (Connected Tennessee)

Connected Tennessee provides computers to needy kids (Speed Matters)