AARP Arkansas Advocates for High-speed Internet Access, Deployment, and Adoption

AARP Arkansas State Director Ashley McBride submitted an official letter to Governor Asa Hutchinson urging application submission for the Digital Equity Planning (DEP) Grant Program. This communication continued with Judge Steven Porch, Chief Legal Counsel & Commerce Executive Broadband Manager at the Arkansas Department of Commerce.

According to a report published by Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP's Aging Connected initiative, more than 21 million people age 65 or older in the U.S. lack broadband access at home. Seniors in rural areas are 1.6 times more likely than others their age to lack such access. Up to $840,000 is available to Arkansas to prepare its digital equity plan, and significantly more money will be available to fund the implementation of a fully developed plan.

AARP Arkansas was told that Judge Porch and his team are working on their initial Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program and DEP grant applications and thankfully submitted them before the July 12th deadline.

Read the full letter: Click Here.