$1M awarded for St. Paul-based computer literacy program

The federal government has awarded $1 million in funding to expand a computer literacy program in the Twin Cities, program officials announced Monday.

St. Paul Neighborhood Network will use the three-year grant to place 30 AmeriCorps members in local libraries, workforce and community centers, and youth agencies to provide computer training.

The program hopes to reach low-income residents, people with disabilities, and recent immigrants.

A 2009 report from the Pew Research Center found that racial minorities and people living in poverty were less likely to use the Internet.

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Seventy-six percent of white people have gone online, compared to 70 percent of African Americans and 64 percent of Latinos.

Only 60 percent of people earning less than $30,000 have accessed the Internet, compared to 94 percent of people with annual incomes over $75,000.

AmeriCorps members will begin providing computer education and assistance this fall. Sites include the St. Paul Public Libraries, the Science Museum of Minnesota, Project for Pride in Living and St. Paul Neighborhood Network.

A complete list of the training sites is available online at www.technologypower.org.