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Pennsylvania Gives $400,000 in Digital Divide Funding to Hill House Association

The funds will go toward increasing access to technology in lower-income and underserved areas of Pittsburgh.

PITTSBURGH -- The Hill House Association got a late Christmas present from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development last week -- a check for $400,000.

"Projects such as these are exactly what the digital-divide grants are intended to be used for," said Acting Secretary Tim McNulty. "The dedication of the Hill House Association and its partners to increasing the self-sufficiency goals of the low-income and underserved people of Pittsburgh -- enabling them to become more productive members of their communities -- deserves to be applauded."

The Hill House Association, which has served residents of the Hill District and other predominantly low-income residents of Pittsburgh for more than 35 years, is acting as the lead agency for a group of organizations, including the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, Community House and Information Renaissance.

Supported by the technical expertise of Information Renaissance, the consortium of community and based organizations will use the digital-divide funds to:

- Construct a Wide Area Network (WAN) infrastructure to connect participating organizations to each other and the Internet;

- Provide greater access to computers and technology for children and families in Pittsburgh's low-income communities;

- Organize 25 community and faith-based agencies dedicated to youth development and school accountability and improvement;

- Utilize technology-supported learning activities to raise achievement levels and improve basic skills of children in low-income inner-city communities; and

- Distribute surplus computer systems to 1,000 low-income families and organizations.

Pennsylvania's digital-divide grant program is funded through Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), a federally funded program that uses money set aside by the Department of Public Welfare. Officials said a total of $4 million was set aside in fiscal year 2002-03 to help bridge the digital divide between low-income communities and other communities throughout Pennsylvania.

The Department of Community and Economic Development's Office of Technology Investment administers the funds and provides the digital-divide grants to organizations that bring digital technologies, including increasing high-speed Internet access and computer literacy skills to low-income Pennsylvania residents.

Eligible applicants include non-profit community- and economic-development organizations, including educational organizations that facilitate one or all of the following: high-speed Internet capabilities, increased computer access and technology skills training for low-income Pennsylvania residents.

All applicants must demonstrate that the project benefits low-income Pennsylvania residents and has broad community support; in addition, the applicant must show the ability to secure the balance of funds needed to complete the project.