Truist funds internet access grants in S.C.

Listen to this article

Truist Bank’s community outreach arm Truist Cares is helping bring high-speed internet to low-income or minority communities in South Carolina and beyond.

A $1 million grant from the Truist Financial Corp., Truist Foundation and Truist Charitable Fund also will be distributed in $125,000 to $180,000 increments to locations also in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington D.C., according to a news release.

The Internet Society, a global nonprofit supporting secure internet access around the world, will distribute the funds after it receives applications from indigenous, minority or low-income communities in the grant’s service area through Feb. 19.

“The pandemic has shown that the internet is an essential infrastructure for all communities and, without it, opportunities are lost and inequities are magnified,” Lynette Bell, president of the Truist Foundation, said in the news release. “We must all work to make high-speed broadband available to everyone who needs it. It’s the engine for building strong and sustainable communities and a resource that requires immediate investment.”

According to Microsoft data, more than half of Americans — nearly 163 million people — don’t have access to high-speed broadband, with rural and low-income urban areas disproportionately affected. The Southeast lags behind the rest of the country in access to the internet, with 76.9% of households reporting access compared with the national average of 81.9%, according to the release.

“Closing the digital divide and expanding internet access is vital, creating healthier, safer and more resilient communities,” Mark Buell, regional vice president of the Internet Society’s North America branch. “We are excited to partner with Truist to help rebuild and revitalize communities with the essential infrastructure for internet access.”