Expanding Access To Create Connected Communities in Orchard Knob, Tennessee

A new program in Chattanooga (TN)’s Orchard Knob neighborhood will expand access to internet connectivity - as well as digital technology and services - to improve residents’ health and quality of life. The pilot program, which aims to reach 1,000 residents, will be funded through a more than $600,000 grant from TVA’s Connected Communities grant program. The goal is to increase the number of people with home internet in Orchard Knob and supply in-home technologies, such as smart home upgrades from Habitat for Humanity, as well as services, such as increased access to telemedicine from Parkridge Health System. The main mission of the pilot program is to improve health and quality of life for about 1,000 Orchard Knob residents, as well as to serve as a model of a holistic and equitable approach to community connectivity, officials said. Called “Connectivity and Health in Orchard Knob: A Smart Community Model for Equitable Access to Services for the 21st Century,” the program will be run by the following partners: Parkridge Health System, The Enterprise Center, EPB, green|spaces, and Habitat for Humanity.