Federal program offering internet to low-income families may come to an end

KANSAS CITY, Mo — The federal government created a program during the COVID-19 pandemic to help low-income Americans pay for at-home broadband internet.

To qualify, a household must earn less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines or receive governmental assistance such as WIC, SNAP, Medicaid or SSI.

The program was extended by the bipartisan infrastructure law, increasing the funding total to $17 billion, but it is estimated to run out of funds later this year.

Enrollment has increased every month, and as of the first of this year, 22 million households have signed up.

According to nonprofit KC Digital Drive’s Managing Editor Aaron Deacon, of all those eligible for the program in the metro, between 30% and 35% have taken advantage of the program at this point.

Deacon says in order to keep the program going, there needs to be federal appropriation.

“There’s a lot of activity in congress to either extend the program or to tweak the program, you know, to figure out how to keep the subsidy program alive,” said Deacon. “It’s an expensive program, and there’s a lot of competing priorities within the federal budget.”

Last fall, the Federal Communications Commission put out a grant program to help market the federal funds. It pays qualifying families’ bills of up to $30 a month for internet. KC Digital Drive received some of the grant money.

For Dorothy Burrell, who benefits from the program, having access to internet again opens up endless possibilities.

Burrell had to disconnect her internet after her bills started exceeding $100 per month. That is when she found out about the Affordable Connectivity Program. In the beginning, she paid $10 a month, but now everything is taken care of.

“It helps me out with job search, my bible study online, retail, taking classes online, it really helps a person a lot, like a convicted felon like me,” said Burrell. “If they take it away, it’s going to be really hard for a lot of people who really, really need it.”

If the program does come to an end, all hope is not lost for Kansas Citians. Deacon’s nonprofit offers the Internet Access Support Program, though it may not be indefinite.

“State and local dollars, right now, provide utility assistance for gas and electric, they’re providing rental assistance. Those dollars can be purposed for broadband and we’ve got the ability to do that, and then there’s philanthropic interest too,” Deacon said.

Burrell said having to go without internet does not just mean no Netflix, but thousands in the metro would have limited access to critical resources.

“Don’t take it, try to figure out a way to get the funds to keep it going,” said Burrell.

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