[July 21, 2011] ROCKEFELLER ANNOUNCES ABOUT $150,000 IN COMPUTER SOFTWARE FOR W.VA. NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Tweet Jul 21, 2011 (Congressional Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Senator Jay Rockefeller today joined Microsoft Vice President Fred Humphries, Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Federal Co-Chair Earl F. Gohl, and Senator Roger Wicker to announce about $150,000 in computer software for West Virginia non-profit organizations. The software will enable these organizations to train workers with the skills needed to compete in today's computer-based economy, and also expand high-speed Internet in the state. They also announced that Future Generations Graduate School (FGGS) in Pendleton County, which currently operates in 28 counties and 43 fire departments, will receive about $70,000 in software to establish community computer centers and training courses in volunteer fire stations throughout the state. "Having updated computer software is absolutely essential in our economy, and I sincerely thank ARC and Microsoft for this generous donation," said Rockefeller. "I have long fought to make high-speed Internet access available to all businesses and families in West Virginia, and this announcement helps further that goal both at Future Generations to help our firefighters protect their communities, and at other organizations that may receive software. I strongly encourage non-profit organizations to apply for this valuable software." "Throughout Appalachia we have an incredible group of individuals starting, leading, and growing nonprofits," said ARC Federal Co-Chair Earl F. Gohl. "The Microsoft grant was more than a donation. It was an important investment in the Region of state of the art technology that will generate a return for the communities served and for the participating nonprofits." "Once again, Microsoft is proud to support ARC in its mission to expand the use of technology in communities across Appalachia to help drive economic and community development. Microsoft aims to provide people with the tools they need to realize their potential regardless of economic circumstances," said Microsoft Vice President Fred Humphries. "Technology, like software, is a key component for driving workforce development and education and can help individuals and small businesses in rural communities achieve their goals." FGGS previously received a $4.4 million high-speed wireless Internet adoption grant from the Recovery Act to establish computer centers in volunteer fire stations across West Virginia. This funding will help the organization further that goal, as well as expand on Rockefeller's initiative to provide high-speed Internet access throughout the state. For more than 15 years, Rockefeller has worked to develop a nationwide strategy for universal access to high-speed Internet- both wired and wireless, particularly throughout West Virginia. Specifically, the software will help FGGS equip many of the computer centers with state-of-the-art software. The centers will be used to train the community on the benefits of technology and broadband, with an eye toward expanding the adoption of high-speed Internet. Microsoft is providing the software and ARC is identifying additional individual recipients, working with them on preparing the paperwork and coordinating the donation with Microsoft. Although any non-profit organization is eligible, ARC will focus particularly on groups that provide technology training and workforce development activities. Schools and libraries are not eligible for this donation. Interested applicants should contact Mark DeFalco with ARC at 202-884-7719 or [email protected]. In total, Microsoft and ARC will distribute $2 million in software to non-profit organizations in thirteen Appalachian states, providing about $150,000 in software to each state. This is the second software grant that Microsoft has made in support of ARC's initiative to expand the use of technology and telecommunications as tools for economic and community development. In 2005, most of the first Microsoft grant in West Virginia went to Mission West Virginia for computer centers located in churches across the state. Mission West Virginia will work with FGGS to outfit the fire station computer centers. Background: As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Rockefeller worked to develop the $4.7 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) in the Recovery Act, designed to improve broadband deployment in unserved and underserved areas, expand public computer center capacity, and encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service. Those funds resulted in nearly $180 million in federal funding for high-speed Internet service to West Virginia. FGGS currently has computer centers in the following counties: Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Fayette, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hardy, Jackson, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mineral, Mingo, Nicolas, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Putman, Raleigh, Randolph, Summers, Tucker, Wayne, Webster, and Wyoming. Read this original document at: http://rockefeller.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=333560& [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]