Berkeley County Resource Hub Groundbreaking Ceremony
On Thursday, May 23, The Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce joined local and state leaders and community partners to unveil the first Berkeley County Resource Hub. This event is the first of five planned centers to improve connectivity to rural parts of the county, providing two years of free Wi-Fi for access to telehealth, well-being resources, and job and educational training opportunities. The Hubs also have printers, webcams, desks, chairs, and eight new Google Chromebooks available for the residents.
"Providing better access to broadband for our rural communities has been a top priority for the Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce," said Chamber President Todd Buddin. "I am thrilled to see the opening of the first of five resource hubs to increase access to services for our most rural communities. This would not have been possible without funding from Google's Data Center's Impact Program and the support of our many community partners. I thank them for their dedication to supporting our residents."
"This resource hub is more than just technology – it's a lifeline for Berkeley County residents, opening doors to healthcare, education, and access to employment opportunities previously out of reach. With more resource hubs underway across the County, Google is committed to partnering with the Berkeley County Chamber to bridge the digital divide and empower residents to achieve their full potential," said Amber Tillman, Head of Google's Data Center Economic and Community Development.
Vernelle Dickerson of the Keith School Museum stated, "It is wonderful to see the excitement of this Hub opening and being able to offer services to our citizens here in our community."
"We're thrilled to contribute to this landmark accomplishment for the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce. When Lane first proposed the idea early on, we recognized its potential to bridge the digital divide in our rural areas. Establishing a dedicated space for learning technology and best practices to elevate our residents' skills has long been a need. Home Telecom is delighted to furnish the internet infrastructure that enables this training to become a reality," said Will Helmly, CEO of Home Telecom.
“The opening of the Berkeley County Resource Hubs is a testament to many people and many organizations that came together to build digital paths to rural communities in Berkeley County. In addition to the digital resources, there is a team guides who know their communities well and can assist residents as they navigate the digital highway to identify much-needed health, education, career and other resources. We have many colleagues at Trident Health who call Berkeley County home. They are very proud of their communities and are thankful to be a part of this life changing program.” Rod Whiting, Vice President, Public Relations & Communications, Trident Health and Berkeley Chamber Board Member.
PARTNERS FOR BERKELEY COMMUNITY RESOURCE HUB: Berkeley-Charleston Vocational Rehabilitation Center; Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments; Berkeley County Department of Social Services; Berkeley Mental Health Center; Charleston Digital Corridor; ECPI University; The Ernest E. Kennedy Center, Google; Roper St. Francis Health Care; SC Department of Corrections; SC Department of Employment and Workforce Connection Initiatives; SC Department of Rural Health; SC Commission for Minority Affairs; Trident Medical Center; Trident Technical College; Trident United Way
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