GREENFIELD — With snacks, a room filled with excited residents and an oversized switch, the Greenfield Housing Authority officially launched free Wi-Fi across its four housing communities on Tuesday morning.
Greenfield Community Energy and Technology (GCET) has recently been working with the housing authority to install high-speed, fiber-optic internet infrastructure at the Winslow Building, the Morgan-Allen House and Oak Courts. On Tuesday, installation wrapped up at Elm Terrace, where residents, Housing Authority staff, and state and local partners gathered to celebrate bringing more than 500 devices online across 272 apartments.
“Today is about more than just Wi-Fi,” Greenfield Housing Authority Executive Director Jack Redman said. “It’s about opportunity, and ensuring our residents who are here with us today have access to the tools that they need to thrive.”
The project was funded by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute through a $8.9 million grant awarded to the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. The council in turn worked with housing authorities across the state to bring internet to 4,000 apartments. In addition to funding the installation of equipment, the grant will pay for providing internet with upload and download speeds of 100 megabits per second to residents for free for two years.
Lizzi Weyant, executive director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, started its apartment Wi-Fi program in 2023 after seeing just how many households still did not have internet access during the pandemic.
“Now more than ever, access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet is crucial,” Weyant said. “We saw this at MAPC firsthand during COVID, because we were seeing kids that were in communities that were underserved by broadband, that their parents were putting them in a car and driving them to a parking lot outside of a library so that they could [get the internet necessary to] go to school.
“We felt like we had to do something about that,” she continued.” When this grant came along, we felt like this was the opportunity to actually make a difference.”
Jack Redman, executive director of the Greenfield Housing Authority, speaks about efforts to bring Wi-Fi to the apartments on Tuesday. Credit: MADISON SCHOFIELD / Staff Photo 
Elena Cohen, district director for state Sen. Jo Comerford, and state Rep. Susannah Whipps joined celebrations for free Wi-Fi at the Greenfield Housing Authority on Tuesday. Credit: MADISON SCHOFIELD / Staff Photo
State Rep. Susannah Whipps, I-Athol, said that she was “thrilled” the residents will now be able to more easily get online and connect with resources, and she can’t wait to start receiving emails from constituents who previously were unable to access internet at home.
“Not only does broadband allow us to connect with our family and order groceries online and do telehealth appointments, it really allows you to be a part of the community,” Whipps said. “I know from having a district that goes from Winchendon out to Greenfield; if it wasn’t for a Wi-Fi connection, I might miss something.”
“Internet access isn’t a luxury anymore,” added Elena Cohen, district director for state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton. “It’s something that everyone needs to be connected.”
GCET General Manager John Lunt emphasized the importance of internet access and said GCET is working to continue to expand the accessibility of service.
“Nothing we do is more important than digital equity,” Lunt said. “Nothing is more important than making sure that people have equal and equitable access to a utility that is as important as water, as important as electricity. You can’t live in a modern world without it.”
While many residents’ devices have already been connected to the internet service, the Greenfield Housing Authority and its two digital navigators will continue working to help residents get online and make use of the technology.
Following remarks, Nate Woodard, a Housing Authority resident and one of the digital navigators, was tasked with flipping a ceremonial switch to make the Wi-Fi “go live.”
“Reliable internet and a computer are necessary for applying for jobs, attending virtual appointments, accessing services, training, school and communicating with family,” said Woodard, who is also a student at Greenfield Community College and chair of the Human Rights Commission. “There were times when I had to rely on a phone or wait for a ride to the library just to take care of something simple. Now I can handle my daily responsibilities and help other residents build their digital skills.”
He said he’s happy to support his neighbors in navigating the online world and figuring out how the new internet service can support them in their daily life.
“My story shows what can happen when internet service, technology and personal support comes together,” Woodard said. “These programs did more than give me Wi-Fi, a laptop and a job. They gave an opportunity to grow in service and help others move forward.”
