JEFFERSONVILLE, Ga. — Sen. Jon Ossoff came to Central Georgia Friday to talk with Twiggs County leaders about internet access.
It's part of an initiative he pushed for in congress to pave the way for better rural broadband access in Georgia. It can make a big difference. Twiggs County Schools Superintendent Mack Bullard says about 75% of folks in Twiggs County don't have reliable internet access. That affects kids trying to learn at home, and puts a strain on parents like Laura Poole.
Poole and Twiggs County are a match made in heaven.
"Small town. Hardly any violence. I just like country living," Poole said.
Small town living also has its challenges, especially when it comes to internet access. She just got internet in August.
"I just had to rely on my cell phone, hoping and praying that I would get a good signal," Poole said.
Now, she says, it's a much different picture.
"My kids are able to do gaming. My daughter's able," she said. "Even during virtual, it was hard for her to do things, because she could only do on her phone. Now she can do stuff for school."
Education is one of the main reasons Sen. Ossoff says the $250 million in American Rescue Plan Act money he helped secure is necessary. Rural counties can now apply for grants funded by that money.
"This will connect tens of thousands of homes and businesses that currently lack broadband internet access," he explained to Twiggs leaders.
It's something Superintendent Bullard says is a game changer. Online classes during the pandemic proved nearly impossible.
"That 75% of the county not having connectivity significantly limited what we could do educationally for our students," Bullard said.
Of course, it doesn't just make things more accessible for students. Poole has already taken advantage of her broadband setup, using Amazon to do some Christmas shopping.
"I know UPS and FedEx are tired of coming to my house, because every day they're coming to my house to drop off packages. I've never been able to do this before!" she said.
Bullard says they could start seeing some of the groundwork as soon as summer 2023.
Several other Central Georgia counties qualify for the federal grants. Hancock, Johnson, Wheeler, and Wilcox counties also qualify, just to name a few.