Here’s how a local bishop joins efforts to bridge the digital gap in Central Florida county
A local bishop is working to close the digital divide for people in Pine Hills and across Orange County.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
C’ashia Mc Crary is an Orange County resident, and her Wi-Fi code has become the community code for those in need.
“Wi-Fi is literally the root of it all,” she said. “Everybody’s always asking for my Wi-Fi.”
The Experience Christian Center is located in a place that used to attract crime and bring deputies and investigators almost weekly.
Now, with the church taking over, they plan on using it as the new hot spot to end inequality in the community.
“We’re aware of the digital divide that exists in our community, and we want to even the playing field,” said Bishop Derrick L. McRae.
A Pew Research study found teens in lower-income households are less likely to report having a computer.
Read: Ocala duplex residents pack up to move after 30-foot hole opens up in yard
McRae said he’d heard cases about families that don’t have a Wi-Fi connection and kids having to go elsewhere to finish their homework.
“I’ve seen different individuals and counseled family members whose students have had to walk long distances or dangerous neighbors to get to a place,” he said.
99% of people living in urban areas have access to a broadband network.
Still, only 77% get it because they need more money or infrastructure.
Read: New exhibit honoring Jewish athletes opens Thursday at Holocaust Center in Maitland
McRae said he doesn’t want to see any more kids walking or struggling to get Wi-Fi, and that’s why now he is working with a partner that will help change the lives of many in the community.
McRae and Moolah Wireless are working together to give away 30 thousand tablets with built-in internet.
Beginning Saturday at 9 a.m., community members can register at the Experience Christian Center and pick up their tablets if they qualify.
Read: Orange County task force looks at ways to curb crime, but money remains a hurdle
Qualifications include being a recipient of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Supplemental Security Income, Medicaid, Food Stamps/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicare, Veterans Pension or Survivors Pension, Federal Public Housing Assistance, Section 8, Pell Grant, or if your family income is under the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
McRae said the tablets are more than just free gadgets; they are part of the church’s commitment to revitalizing the community.
“Saturday is not just the end of all; it’s actually the start of things,” he said. " We’re not done -- we’re here for the long haul, and this isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon for us.
For more information on the tablets, click here.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
