Inspiredu, an innovative, Georgia-based non-profit organization, announces its 3rd annual year as a leading advocate for digital equity. With a mission to bridge the digital divide and ensure equal access to technology for all individuals, Inspiredu aims to increase device ownership, digital literacy, and digital access by providing our communities’ most marginalized and vulnerable citizens with the resources and support they need in order to be competitive in pursuit of education and work preparedness.
The timing of Inspiredu’s third anniversary comes on the heels of the recent announcement from the Biden-Harris administration for state allocations of $42.45 billion dedicated to a high-speed internet grant program as part of their Investing in America agenda. This groundbreaking bill has been compared to President Roosevelt’s historic Rural Electrification Act, which brought electricity to nearly every home in America. President Biden declared high-speed internet access as important as electricity or water and vowed that every home in America will be connected to reliable high-speed internet by 2030.
This significant investment underscores the urgent need for organizations like Inspiredu to address the digital divide, which became even more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the critical role of the Internet in education, healthcare, employment, financial well-being, and social connectivity. Millions of Americans, particularly those in underserved communities, lack reliable internet access, hindering their ability to participate fully in the digital age. Internet access is only one piece of the puzzle, however. Inspiredu provides the rest of the components needed for bridging the digital divide: devices, training, and access. Our approach of going into these underserved communities to provide devices to take home, training for using the devices, one year of free help desk support, and information about programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program to access the newly available broadband is absolutely crucial. Our program participants overwhelmingly agree. Inspiredu’s innovative approach to bridging the digital divide is what makes our program so successful.
Led by CEO Richard Hicks, Inspiredu managed to serve over 3,000 Georgia families during the pandemic in its inaugural year of 2020. He and his team have also carried on a mission to keep the environment safe by diverting 5,297 laptops from Atlanta landfills in 2022 alone. Inspiredu is expanding to additional areas in Georgia and will continue efforts to achieve its mission.
Inspiredu’s anniversary comes at a pivotal moment, as the nation recognizes the importance of digital equity in building a more inclusive society. By leveraging the momentum generated by President Biden’s $42.45 billion bill for internet access, Inspiredu is poised to continue making a significant impact in narrowing the digital divide and ensuring that no individual is left behind.
