ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. (January 7, 2021)—County Executive Steuart Pittman today announced it has allocated $150,000 of funding to provide internet service to low-income families and students through Comcast's Internet Essentials Partnership Program (IEPP). The grant, allocated as part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, will provide high-speed internet access to low-income families who qualify for Internet Essentials from Comcast.
Through this partnership, Anne Arundel County will cover the monthly recurring cost of Internet Essentials service charges for up to 12 months so that community members can stay connected and students can have much needed access to online learning and other resources. And since Comcast is offering two months of free Internet Essentials service through June 30, 2021, families who were not previously signed up for Internet Essentials will enjoy 14 months of internet service.
"Internet access has become an essential thread connecting individuals to their communities," said County Executive Pittman. "This partnership with Comcast brings us closer to our goal of universal access for students and families, regardless of economic status."
The program will be administered by the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth and Families through a contract with Comcast. County officials are encouraging families to take advantage of the special offer to ensure their children in grades K-12 have the reliable broadband internet access they need to virtually learn from home.
"We're proud to partner with Anne Arundel County to help children and families get connected through our Internet Essentials program," said Misty Allen, Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Comcast's Beltway Region. "For nearly a decade, Comcast has been dedicated to bridging the digital divide across the nation with our Internet Essentials program—which to date has connected more than 4 million low-income students to the internet."
Comcast's Internet Essentials program is the nation's largest and most successful internet adoption program, providing high-speed internet service normally priced at $9.95 a month (plus applicable fees and charges), digital literacy training and the option to purchase a laptop or desktop computer at a heavily subsidized price of less than $150. IEPP is designed to help accelerate internet adoption even further by enabling school districts, churches and other organizations and nonprofits to fund and connect large numbers of students and families to internet access at home.
For more information on Internet Essentials, visit www.internetessentials.com.
Families interested in participating in the program can contact program manager Twila Mohammad-Davis with Anne Arundel County at 1-800-485-0041 or srmoha33@aacounty.org for more information.