U.S. Representative Larsen (WA-02) praised today’s announcement that the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a $4.1 million Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant to the Puget Sound Center Foundation for Teaching, Learning, and Technology to help bridge the technological divide, improve education, and increase access to legal services in Washington state. Larsen supported legislation to invest in this important project that will expand economic and educational opportunities for people in Northwest Washington.
“High speed internet helps connect people with the educational, employment and business resources that they need in today’s 21st century economy. Too many people and small businesses across Northwest Washington are suffering from living in rural communities with limited or no internet access,” said Rep. Larsen. “This BTOP grant will go a long way toward providing broadband access throughout Northwest Washington so folks can access better educational opportunities, civic tools, health resources and critical job information.”
This funding will allow the Puget Sound Center Foundation to expand and upgrade 39 public computer centers in Washington State. This grant includes partnering with the Northwest Justice Project, Washington’s publicly funded legal aid program, to establish public computer centers in rural courts, where the public can access online legal resources and other services. The project also plans enhanced training offerings for economically vulnerable populations, including courses addressing GED test preparation, digital literacy, job searches, and financial education.
“The Northwest Justice Project (NJP) is extremely pleased that Washington’s collaborative JusticeNet vision of using broadband technology to improve access to justice will now be a reality. Funding for the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) will make it possible for NJP to develop and stream much needed online videos to help families protect themselves in our courts. In addition, the JusticeNet collaborative will develop courthouse based public justice centers in Whatcom County to assist unrepresented litigants and to help the courts deliver on the promise of equal justice. BTOP funding will also allow NJP to work actively with local public computing centers throughout Washington to improve access to civil legal aid services and to NJP’s extensive online legal resources,” said Cesar Torres, Executive Director of the Northwest Justice Project.
