Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman has allocated $150,000 of funding to provide internet service to low-income families and students through Comcast’s Internet Essentials Partnership Program (IEPP). The grant, allocated as part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, will provide high-speed Internet access to qualifying low-income families.

Through this partnership, Anne Arundel County will cover the monthly recurring cost of Internet Essentials service charges for up to 12 months so that community members can stay connected and students can have much needed access to online learning and other resources. And since Comcast is offering two months of free Internet Essentials service through June 30, families that were not previously signed up for Internet Essentials will enjoy 14 months of internet service.

The program will be administered by the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth and Families through a contract with Comcast. County officials are encouraging families to take advantage of the special offer to ensure their children in grades K-12 have the reliable broadband internet access they need to virtually learn from home.

Comcast’s Internet Essentials program is the nation’s largest and most successful Internet adoption program, providing high-speed Internet service normally priced at $9.95 a month (plus applicable fees and charges), digital literacy training and the option to purchase a laptop or desktop computer at a heavily subsidized price of less than $150. IEPP is designed to help accelerate internet adoption even further by enabling school districts, churches and other organizations and nonprofits to fund and connect large numbers of students and families to internet access at home.

For more information on Internet Essentials, visit www.internetessentials.com. Families interested in participating in the program can contact program manager Twila Mohammad-Davis with Anne Arundel County at 800-485-0041 or [email protected] for more information.