National Campaign Will Connect Millions of Americans to Technology, Combat Poverty

Two-year campaign expands technology access, youth-led training, and public-purpose media.

If we expect rural communities in West Virginia and other states to prosper in the global economy, broadband access is as important as water and sewer infrastructure

Washington, DC (PRWEB) April 9, 2008 -- This morning, One Economy Corporation, a global nonprofit, announced the launch of the Bring IT Home America campaign at an event demonstrating the broad range of support for a national strategy to increase digital inclusion. This two-year campaign is a member-supported effort that marshals the resources of government, business, and the nonprofit sector around a powerful goal: extending the promise of innovative technology to expand opportunities to those who need them most.

Governor Joe Manchin

Today, only 21 percent of people earning less than $30,000 per year have broadband and the applications it makes possible in their homes; three times as many affluent households have high-speed access. One Economy believes that we need a profound and urgent national commitment to bring the power of information to all Americans--regardless of income, race, age, or geography. Bring IT Home America is a national call to action that responds to that the need for affordable Internet access, youth-led technology training, and public-purpose media, opening the doors of the 21st century to millions of Americans.

"One Economy has worked around the world to connect low-income people to 21st-century resources and information," said One Economy Chief Executive Officer Rey Ramsey. "Now, we are leading a national effort that will extend those opportunities to millions more Americans."

Bring IT Home America employs a three-part strategy for connecting low-income people to tools for building better lives: deploying broadband and hardware, employing youth to build a cultural bridge between technology and their communities, and creating informing, engaging online media. By the end of the campaign, One Economy and campaign members will have engaged 5,000 youth to provide technology training in their neighborhoods, brought broadband into the homes of half a million Americans, and reached millions more with the next generation of public-purpose media, the Public Internet Channel.

The campaign brings together a broad coalition of often competing interests to support this initiative. This morning's events included remarks by key members outlining their commitments to increase digital inclusion in America:

"If we expect rural communities in West Virginia and other states to prosper in the global economy, broadband access is as important as water and sewer infrastructure," said West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin. "Through efforts such as those with One Economy and its Beehive project, and by forming dynamic partnerships with leading technology companies, we can open the door for these communities and their residents to grow."

"The Internet holds great promise for all Americans," said Jim Cicconi, Senior Executive Vice President, External and Legislative Affairs, AT&T. "The Bring IT Home America campaign will help make that promise a reality by connecting families and communities across the country with education, health care and workforce opportunities."

"In a city of competing political and business interests, Bring It Home America is a program we can all support," said Kyle McSlarrow, president and CEO of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. "NCTA's members are committed to reaching unserved and underserved areas of the country and Bring It Home America can help us do that."

Robert Townsend--an accomplished actor, director, and producer--also announced his plans to work with One Economy and the Public Internet Channel to create compelling, engaging public-purpose online media.

Other members include: Allstate, the California Emerging Technology Fund, Intel, Symantec, Verizon, Wells Fargo, Atlanta, Buffalo, Fort Wayne, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Raleigh, San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County & Kansas City, Kan., Kansas City, Mo., Bertie County, N.C. and Greene County, N.C.

One Economy's first Bring IT Home campaign, which culminated in 2006, changed affordable housing finance policies in 42 states to promote the inclusion of broadband into the homes of low-income people. As a result of those efforts, more than 300,000 Americans now have broadband in their homes.

Learn more about Bring IT Home America, its supporters, and One Economy at www.one-economy.com.

One Economy Corporation is a global nonprofit that uses innovative approaches to deliver the power of technology and information to low-income people, connecting them to valuable tools for building better lives and entering the economic mainstream. One Economy helps bring broadband into the homes of low-income people, employ youth to train their community members to use technology effectively, and provide public-purpose media properties that offer a wealth of information on education, jobs, health care and other vital issues. Learn more at www.one-economy.com.

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