One key to alleviating hunger? Affordable internet access, says Pittsburgh org

Pittsburgh nonprofit Just Harvest tries to alleviate hunger by tackling its root causes — namely, poverty. In recent years, one of the key ways it’s opted to do this is by helping families with lower incomes gain affordable internet access.

“In terms of being able to manage your finances, you often need access to the internet,” Ann Sanders, Just Harvest director of public benefits policy and programs, told Technical.ly. “Even managing public benefits like SNAP, it’s easier to do if you have access to the internet.”

Her organization is one of a dozen-plus nonprofits, institutional partners and technologists who make up the Greater Pittsburgh Digital Inclusion Alliance, tasked with closing the digital divide by 2027. Teaching residents skills that prepare them to safely use the internet is one part of the initiative in particular that Sanders thinks is crucial for the future. 

“Digital literacy is [an] incredibly important issue, along with access,” Sanders said. “And we see that with folks’ abilities again to manage their information and finances, and avoid becoming victims of a scam.”

While there may have been a time when the internet was a luxury, Sanders noted, nearly every facet of life, from job applications to homework assignments, now requires internet access. The lack of it can make getting an education and acquiring employment next to impossible. As a consequence, it can lead families to struggle to afford to buy food. 

More than 114,000 people in Allegheny County were considered food insecure as of 2021, according to Feeding America’s latest estimates, which equates to 9.2% of households.

At the same time, the county has one of the highest percentages of households with poor internet speeds in the state, per a 2022 map by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

‘An essential part of living life in America’

Just Harvest has been working to address hunger in the region since 1986.

Sometimes this means enabling residents to use their food stamps to buy fresh food at participating farmers’ markets. Other times it can mean providing free tax preparation services to people who need help navigating the process. 

The organization’s staff and volunteers look at public policy around income supports, school meals, WIC, SNAP, medical assistance, and affordable health care — and try to increase residents’ access to those programs.

“Sometimes the best way to do that is by using the tools that the state provides online,” Sanders said. “So having that knowledge and ability to use those tools and feel comfortable doing that is really important.”

Over the past year, the nonprofit worked on sharing information about the Affordable Connectivity Program, a federal initiative that provides eligible households with discounts of up to $30/month for broadband service. Although Just Harvest didn’t directly help interested residents sign up, the organization last fall received a grant from Civic Nation and Verizon to assist with spreading the word. Enrollment for the program ended in February 2024.

Ultimately, Sanders said, Just Harvest’s leadership knows how crucial internet access is to Allegheny County residents, and will continue to work to help people access the tools needed to navigate it effectively.

“It’s just becoming an essential part of living life in America,” Sanders said. “And it’s not something that you can really go without anymore. You need to have reliable access to the internet.”