This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO) is taking a major step to help the city of New Orleans during natural disasters, launching SUNO Connects with a $3 million grant to expand broadband internet access.

The program is designed to support remote learning and provide funding for the purchase of equipment by schools in the 9th and 15th Wards. Students, faculty, staff, and the community at large will benefit from digital awareness, training, education, outreach, and technology support.

It’s part of the larger federal Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (CMC). The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded more than $175 million to more than 60 colleges and universities.

The news conference begins at 9:00 a.m. at the Millie M. Charles School of Social Work. For more information on the Internet for All Grant Program, click here.

Stay updated with the latest news, weather, and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play store and subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.