The State of Michigan, in partnership with the Connected Nation Michigan, released a statewide Wi-Fi hotspot map today to assist residents who currently lack internet access at home.

The COVID-19 pandemic and transition to remote and distance learning has only increased the need for residents and students to have easy access to broadband services. The Wi-Fi mapping effort, spearheaded by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) and Connected Nation Michigan, along with the Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) and the Michigan Department of Education, is an interim step amid the coronavirus pandemic to spotlight publicly available broadband hotspots for households without internet access.

“This pandemic has shown a real need to tackle the barriers of access, adoption, and affordability to fully enable the opportunities that the internet makes possible,” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist said. “If we are going to close the Internet gap, we need to make sure we’re doing everything we can in the interim to expand access to existing broadband options for communities where it’s not readily available or affordable.”

“We know that more work must be done to ensure residents and students throughout the state have accessible and affordable broadband internet service,” said MPSC Commissioner Tremaine Phillips. “Making these Wi-Fi hotspot locations easily available is an important bridge to increasing the accessibility of these critical services during this difficult time.”

“While public Wi-Fi hot spots are not a replacement for home connectivity, they are essential for those needing connectivity during a time when education, work, and healthcare are relying more and more on online platforms,” said Eric Frederick, Executive Director of Connected Nation Michigan. “These public and private locations are helping Michiganders stay connected.”

Lack of broadband internet access and affordability are issues in Michigan and across the country, particularly for people living in rural areas and for communities where there is persistent poverty.

Michigan providers were recently awarded $22.5 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Broadband ReConnect Program aimed at expanding broadband access to unserved rural areas. In addition, the Federal Communications Commission, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, awarded more than $1.8 million from the COVID-19 Telehealth Program to help health care providers offer connected care services to patients at their homes or mobile locations.

There are several active programs and grants centered on increasing investment in and access to broadband in Michigan. DTMB is now administrating the Connecting Michigan Communities (CMIC) Grant Program, which will award $18 million in grants for projects that extend broadband service into unserved areas in Michigan.

In addition, under the federal CARES Act, which Congress approved as a stimulus amid the coronavirus pandemic, Michigan received nearly $390 million under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund to support local school districts to help with the impact COVID-19 has had on the elementary and secondary schools. These funds can be used for allowable activities to assist in continuing to provide education services, including supporting remote learning by helping to reduce the digital divide. The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is also applying for additional competitive federal funding to help reduce the number of students who lack access to broadband internet.

“Because home is now a more obvious extension of school, we need to narrow and ultimately eliminate the digital divide. While many school districts have provided devices, this online map of Wi-Fi hotspots is a great free resource for students, parents, educators, and others,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. “Much more needs to be done, especially with connectivity, which is very expensive or inaccessible in more remote areas. As supporters of children, we need to make this resounding case to Congress to provide more federal funding to help us close the digital divide.”

According to the MDE, more than 70 percent of the state’s students report using internet-enabled devices at home for schoolwork. But more than 28% of students live in homes without internet access that can support virtual learning.

“Access to high-speed internet access is essential for Michiganders to participate on a level playing field in education and business,” said State Chief Information Officer Brom Stibitz. “The efforts underway to expand broadband access throughout our vast state will go a long way in making sure everyone is connected and given an equal opportunity to thrive.”

Residents who lack internet access at home are encouraged to follow the Centers for Disease Control and State of Michigan social distancing guidelines when utilizing these hotspots, including wearing masks in public facilities and keeping a distance of at least six feet from others not from the same household. To date, more than 300 Wi-Fi hotspot locations are available from the parking lots of public schools, libraries and other locations across the state. In addition to the location, the map also contains details on how to access the Wi-Fi hotspots’ networks.

To find a hotspot site near you, click here.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at www.michigan.gov/coronavirus and www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

From Muskegon to Midland to Marquette, Michigan counties are securing and distributing COVID-19 emergency funding to veterans through the state’s new County Veteran Service Fund Emergency Relief (CVSF-ER) program.

To date, 12 counties have been approved for a total of nearly $1.1 million in CVSF-ER funding, while eight other counties are close to securing another $253,819 in the emergency relief assistance – for a working total of $1.3 million. Eligible veterans from all eras – both wartime and peacetime – in participating counties can use the money to make home and vehicle repairs, pay medical expenses and meet other needs determined emergent.

In addition, at least 16 counties so far are either participating or plan to participate in a CVSF-ER grocery voucher program for veterans through the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) and Meijer. As the central coordinating agency for Michigan’s 550,000-plus veterans and their families, the MVAA facilitates the CVSF-ER program.

While the emergency assistance can help veterans hurt by the COVID-19 global pandemic, it also applies to emergent needs stemming from the central Michigan flooding in May. Both Midland and Gladwin counties, which were devastated by flooding, recently applied for and were approved for CVSF-ER grants.

“The State of Michigan is committed to supporting our veterans and their families during these challenging times and every day throughout the year,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “These brave men and women put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and we will continue serving them as they served us.”

MVAA Director Zaneta Adams said Michigan veterans – especially peacetime-era veterans – often struggle to find benefits, which makes the CVSF-ER program a particularly beneficial resource.

“For those counties that opt-in, veterans of all eras can take advantage of emergency funding opportunities in their respective counties, while also becoming more familiar with resources that are available to them and their families,” Adams said. “No matter which era they served in, they deserve support when they need it the most, especially during these trying and uncertain times.”

Counties that have secured CVSF-ER funding thus far are Calhoun, Gladwin, Gogebic, Iosco, Kent, Marquette, Midland, Missaukee, Muskegon, Oakland, Wayne and Wexford.

Counties working to secure CVSF-ER funding are Cheboygan, Eaton, Genesee, Ionia, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Mecosta and Roscommon.

Counties participating or planning to participate in the MVAA/Meijer grocery voucher program thus far are Calhoun, Cheboygan, Eaton, Genesee, Ionia, Isabella, Kalamazoo, Kent, Marquette, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Muskegon, Oakland, Wayne and Wexford.

The deadline for counties to apply for the CVSF-ER grant program is June 30, 2020. Counties can contact MVAA’s Karen Rowlader for more information at [email protected] or (517) 243-7675.

Veterans can find the Veteran Service Office in their county and learn more about CVSF-ER requirements and what may be available in their area at https://www.michiganveterans.com/find-benefits-counselor and clicking on the relevant county. Questions can also be directed to the MVAA’s Veteran Resource Service Center, which is available 24/7 at 1-800-MICH-VET.

“In Michigan, we consider those who have served and those presently serving to be ‘members for life,’ and the MVAA is that resource to provide support, care, advocacy and service to veterans and their families as they navigate their journey,” said Maj. Gen. Paul Rogers, Adjutant General and Director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “The CVSF-ER program is another premier benefit that makes Michigan an ideal place for serving veterans and their families.”