In the middle of Gig City, next to one of Chattanooga’s biggest employers, more than one-third of households lack broadband access and more than one-fourth of families live in poverty, according to census data.
Health surveys also indicate the share of residents with asthma and other health ailments in Orchard Knob is higher than in other communities.
On Saturday, a coalition of neighborhood, nonprofit and business groups came together at a community fair to promote a new effort to improve the health, energy efficiency and broadband connections in Orchard Knob.
“The pandemic set us back some, but this community has really come together, and we’re excited about what’s being offered and how we can make things better, especially for so many of our senior citizens in this community,” Linda Carter, a life-long resident of Orchard Knob and president of the Orchard Knob Neighborhood Association, said during Saturday’s community picnic and gathering.
Carter was among a couple of dozen participants who just completed one of three “Tech Goes Home” programs the Enterprise Center has offered in Orchard Knob to help residents learn more about how to use their computer and internet connections.