The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing in e-connectivity which will provide virtual access to job training, educational and health-care opportunities for rural communities.
“Connecting rural Americans to quality education and health-care services is an innovative and important tool in our efforts to facilitate economic growth, job creation and quality of life in rural America,” Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett said.
She made the announcement on Jan. 19.
USDA is awarding 72 grants totaling $23.6 million through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program.
This program invests in equipment that uses broadband to help rural communities connect to educational and health care services.
“These vital services are part of the foundation of a high quality of life and enable communities to overcome the effects of remoteness and low population density by connecting them to the rest of the world through high-speed internet,” the department said in a statement.