Belton IT business owner Cody Akins opened a free Main Street computer and internet space for residents after the federal Affordable Connectivity Program expired.
3,626 Cass County households lost internet-payment help when Congress let the program lapse in June 2024; nearly 400,000 Missouri homes and 23 million nationwide had been enrolled.
Multiple desks with computers are available for tasks such as job applications, email and virtual interviews, aimed at people who lost home internet or lack regular computer access.
Belton construction students helped build the space, and Akins PC Repair plans scam-awareness classes and additional IT workshops, extending the project beyond basic internet access.