GCI announced its $7,400 donation to Nome Community Center on March 29. The company says it aims to expand 2-gig internet connectivity to the entire community of Nome.

“In partnership with organizations like Nome Community Center, we can help make sure everyone in the community has access to the resources they need,” GCI Contributions and Events Senior Manager Megan Webb said.

The funds will go towards upgrading NCC’s network infrastructure, facility security and workstations. 

Nome Community Center serves elders, families, and youth of the Bering Strait Region through programs such as Nome Children’s Home, Nome Boys & Girls Club, XYZ Senior Center and the Nome Food Bank.

The strain on local network infrastructure due to COVID-19 impacted the center’s work, Nome Community Center Administrator Rhonda Schneider said.

“Through our continued partnership with GCI, we can serve the residents of the Nome and the Bering Strait Region better than ever before,” Schneider said.

NCC’s upgrades further GCI’s goal to bridge the digital divide in rural Alaska. The company introduced 2-gig speed to Nome and Kotzebue in 2021.

This donation came as part of the GCI Gives Program, which gives back to communities with a focus on cultural arts and innovation; education; healthy communities; youth; animals; diversity and inclusion; and public safety.

Image at top: Nome Community Center aims to enhance the quality of life for people in the Bering Straits Region. Photo by John Coe, KNOM (March 31, 2022).