Rutherford County, TN - Rutherford County was awarded $100,000 by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the Department of Economic and Community Development for broadband and digital opportunity grants.  The County’s Grants and Community Development team applied for the grant in order to partner with Greenhouse Ministries and The Journey Home to bring internet services to all areas of the county for education, telehealth, and workforce development.

Greenhouse Ministries will use the funds to address the digital divide for low-income people by ensuring a more extensive technology infrastructure through offering a variety of tech-related classes, providing loaner tablets, establishing a dedicated help desk for technical assistance, and providing access to different types of operating systems, ultimately creating a more inclusive and accessible environment for the community. Clients will have access to a well-equipped computer lab, a variety of computer classes, and a dedicated help desk for technical support. This holistic approach will empower the community with essential technology skills and resources, ultimately leading to greater opportunities for employment and personal development.

The Journey Home will use the funds to provide wireless internet access at their resource center and at the  multi-unit transitional housing locations for those without internet access. They will provide additional notebook computers, available for check-out and use within the facility, to those that do not have equipment to take advantage of internet access for employment applications, mainstream benefits, on-line life-skills training, housing searches, educational and training opportunities. This will expand the existing computers that are currently accessible at the center.  The training room at the new facility will be equipped with technology for on-site training classes in both technology education (using the internet, using Microsoft Office Suite, etc.) and job and health fairs.  There will be access to online training programs through subscriptions that allow clients to increase practical skills such as household budgeting and financial literacy, parenting, and others. Hardware charging stations for client-owned technology will be provided. 

Both organizations will partner with Tech Goes Home to provide digital skills training.

• More information about Greenhouse Ministries can be found at https://greenhousemin.org/. 
• More information about The Journey Home can be found at https://lovegodservepeople.org/.