More than half the households in five neighborhoods in south St. Petersburg lacked connections to high-speed broadband internet as recently as 2019. That puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to education, employment and healthcare, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new report from the City Health Dashboard.
“One of my dreams, and COVID proved it, is that internet is a utility like water, that everybody should have,” said Alison Barlow, executive director of the St. Petersburg Innovation District and co-lead of the Digital Inclusion Working Group. “How we get to that point and make it affordable is a challenge.”
There is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but the Digital Inclusion Working Group, co-led by Barlow and Veatrice Farrell, executive director of Deuces Live, have several ideas. One of them is a center to assist people in signing up for a new federal program that provides financial help to households struggling to afford internet service during the pandemic.
To learn more about this collaboration read the recent St. Pete Catalyst Article.
Join the St. Pete Innovation District and Keep Pinellas Beautiful for a morning of hands-on community stewardship and connection along 4th Street S between 11th Ave S and 18th Ave S.
We love when Teledyne Marine comes home to the Hub, especially when they bring boats!
Sharing space at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub is creating new connections between the College of Marine Science (CMS), the Innovation District, and the Tampa Bay Ocean Team.