Pictured above are graduates from Marion County.

Palmetto Care Connections has reached an incredible milestone of training 1,000 graduates from its Digital Literacy program. This achievement is more than a number; it represents closing a digital divide in South Carolina’s rural communities, one life at a time.  
  
After participating in PCC’s Digital Literacy class, Ms. Vera Cribb reached out asking for her class photo so she could frame it. She proceeded to share how grateful she was for the course. Since then, she has been able to renew her license in health insurance and now has a job with Aflac, where she uses her computer and knowledge from the digital literacy class every day. 
  
While this story is unique to Cribb, she is not the only participant that has been positively impacted by PCC. 
 
“PCC has been blessed to be a part of providing Digital Literacy to the 13 rural counties in meeting this milestone,” said Tara Stokes, PCC’s digital inclusion coordinator. “Digital Literacy training began with our senior population but quickly became a need for adults of all ages.”  
  
The goal of this program is to help increase internet access and affordability and connect individuals to quality-of-life resources through digital literacy courses. The ability to reach 1,000 graduates is an achievement that celebrates technology and telehealth solutions being brought to rural South Carolina.  
  
“PCC is so proud to reach this milestone,” said Kathy Schwarting, Chief Executive Officer of PCC. “We are so grateful to engage with our communities and assist them with better access to health care services. Education is the key to many of the problems we face every day, and this program is living proof!”  
  
While PCC has greatly affected 1,000 graduates through its Digital Literacy program, that same number has mutually changed the lives of its staff.  
 
“The impact has been instrumental in participants having better access to their healthcare providers, improving their education now that they have a digital device to go back to college, and self-confidence in a world that is quickly evolving to a digital world,” said Stokes. “I can personally say that these participants have impacted me in so many ways. They are awesome!”