CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The City of Charlotte has utilized money from the federal government to connect hundreds of low-income families and senior citizens to free internet.
The city said the connection is essential and can be a big relief as the daily cost of living gets more expensive.
At an event on Feb. 1 in west Charlotte, dozens of low-income families and seniors were connected to WiFi.
For Latasha Pickett, she can now use her paycheck in other ways.
"Less bills you got to worry about," Pickett said. "Food, everything I do, I have nieces and nephews, I have to get snacks for them, make sure they are safe.”
Adrenne Willis can relate to that too, She said she is barely making it by and is living paycheck to paycheck.
"I’m struggling right now," Willis said. "I just barely paid my internet today, I was only able to pay my rent and Duke Energy and now I have no money at all.”
The City of Charlotte is able to fund this through federal ARPA funds. Jamar Davis with the City said while the internet is a luxury, it's becoming an essential utility.
"Having internet to be able to connect to a loved one, that’s vital, telehealth? That’s vital," Davis said. "Some folks might not be able to get around to a hospital."
According to the American Immigration Council, in 2019, one in 22 people, or over 900,000 people, lacked internet service.
Denya Isabelle-Davis, a Digital Navigator, said the world is moving in the right direction when it comes to bridging the digital divide.
"Just because a financial situation doesn’t mean someone shouldn’t have access to the resources others have," Issabelle-Davis said.
There are 57 properties that qualify for free internet through the City of Charlotte. You can find a list of those here. You can also call 311 to help get connected to a digital navigator.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.