As computers and the Internet play a larger role in our lives, people who lack access to those resources and the skills to use them are increasingly at risk of missing out on educational and employment opportunities and social engagement. Students who don’t have access to computers can easily fall behind their more affluent classmates — It’s a concept known as the “digital divide.”

Last year, the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) launched a collaborative effort to bridge the digital divide for the thousands of people living in the city’s 18 public housing developments. Led by HACA’s nonprofit subsidiary Austin Pathways, the program dubbed “Unlocking the Connection” aims to raise family self-sufficiency through digital inclusion.

The program started with digital literacy training classes at computer labs at HACA properties. Public housing families have also begun receiving free refurbished computers through a partnership with Austin Community College and the process of installing  basic broadband Internet in residents’ homes is already under way through Google Fiber. At Manchaca Village more than 90 percent of residents have signed up for the $0/month Internet service.

Last month, digital inclusion and Unlocking the Connection took the national stage.  President Obama unveiled ConnectHome, a plan to boost access to high-speed Internet for low-income families in cities nationwide. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has named Austin a Mentor City and the White House is looking to HACA for direction in implementing the plan. On July 28, U.S. Housing Deputy Assistant Secretary Lourdes CastroRamirez visited the Henry Flores Education and Training Center at Meadowbrook Apartments in Central Austin where she observed children and adults learning to use computers and tablets for educational purposes.