Living in rural Texas, 81-year-old Miss Lucy – a two-time cancer survivor– couldn’t find reliable transportation to her medical appointments. Her ongoing medical conditions require frequent visits. Her family members weren’t always available to take her.  Some of her appointments could be done virtually, but she didn’t know how to connect. 

“The stress and anxiety of not knowing how I would get to my appointments took a toll on me,” she said. “Not only was my physical health affected by my circumstances, but my financial stability was also deeply impacted. I was overwhelmed and frustrated.”

Eventually, she was able to find help. Bastrop County Cares, a “scrappy” central Texas organization intervened, coordinating transportation for Miss Lucy and teaching her how to connect to her virtual appointments using her phone. That service is part of the organization’s digital literacy initiative that’s tied to an effort to bring broadband connectivity to Bastrop County for the first time.

“I am profoundly grateful for their assistance and support,” Miss Lucy said. “Without their help, I would have struggled to receive the medical care that is vital to my well-being. Because of their kindness and commitment, I was able to attend my appointments, alleviating the burden that had weighed so heavily on me.”

Miss Lucy is just one of the thousands of Bastrop County residents who are about to benefit from broadband connectivity. Had it not been for the work of Bastrop County Cares, the need may not  have been properly identified.

Communities Unlimited works to connect rural communities with opportunities offering solutions that foster healthier communities, lives and businesses. The organizations worked alongside Bastrop County Cares to secure $47 million in federal grant funding to make broadband available across the county. But first, the need had to be measured. Maps used at the state level indicated that Bastrop County would not be eligible for broadband funding, because based on census insights, the need didn’t appear to exist.

But anecdotally, the need was apparent. To tap into the grant funding when it became available, the data needed to match. With seed funding from the St. David’s Foundation to support data collection and launch the Broadband Taskforce, Bastrop County Cares — an effort initiated under former Executive Director Debbie Bersette and continued under current Executive Director Norma Mercado — managed a broadband survey. 

They hoped to receive 2,000 responses but received more than twice that. The Broadband Taskforce, composed of community stakeholders including Commissioner David Glass, played a pivotal role in driving the effort forward, and their collaboration was instrumental in making the initiative a reality.

Results indicated that Bastrop County was among the two least-served counties in a specific economic area. Aligning the anecdotal need with the local data was encouraging for Mercado, offering a more accurate picture of the area’s connectivity gap. But it also presented a new obstacle.

“It was exciting but we’re also aware of the challenges because the families don’t have the skills to use the internet,” she said. “They can’t even do telehealth because they don’t have the internet.”

The organization used $150,000 in funding from the Methodist Health Ministry to implement a comprehensive digital literacy initiative that not only provided classes but also distributed laptops, tablets, and phones to community members. 

This investment, coupled with the incoming broadband fiber connection set to begin in April 2025, represents a coordinated effort to close the community’s digital divide — ensuring residents have both the skills and the tools needed to fully participate in today’s digital world.

Mercado, who has spent the bulk of her career working in rural areas, said she is already receiving positive feedback from community members.

“Families have shared that they are using (the tech) for online ordering of groceries, looking up resources, using it for maps to locate more affordable things,” she said. “Medical appointments have been one of the biggest upsides for community members.”

Others are using their internet access to enroll in college courses or engage with their kids’ schools. Bastrop County Cares even connected a group of elderly individuals with social work students who meet with them every week, virtually, as part of a school project. 

“It’s reducing isolation. The seniors are engaged and really loving it,” Mercado said, mentioning the potential that broadband can have. “I know what it’s like to live in a place that doesn’t have all the services. Education can change someone’s life. It’s why I like to work in spaces like this.”