Initiatives

I Am From

Learn about the people around you.  Learn about your neighbors.  A community writing project sponsored by Better Together and the Community Arts Center of East Texas.  

Rural Broadband Initiative

Access to broadband internet service is lacking in Nacogdoches County, especially in outlying areas. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the inadequacies of our broadband infrastructure and reinforced the importance of addressing such, especially given the implications for telecommuting, online education (K-12 and higher education), and telehealth services (health, mental health, and social services). There are also significant long-term implications for economic development, education, and delivery of health, mental health, and social services. Given this, Better Together, the City of Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches Independent School District, Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation, the County of Nacogdoches, Stephen F. Austin State University, and NacSpace are working together to improve broadband services for all residents of Nacogdoches County.

The first step in our efforts is a partnership with Connected Nations and Connected Texas to create a TAP (Technology Action Plan), which we funded through cost-sharing with our partners and a grant from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health. We invited all Nacogdoches County residents to join us at 6:30 p.m. on July 19 to learn more about this initiative (English and Spanish). We also asked residents to assist by telling us about their access to internet services (surveyed July through early October 2021– English and Spanish). The survey results and related recommendations are available here.

COVID-19 Information Initiative

Better Together is involved in a partnership with the City of Nacogdoches, the County of Nacogdoches, and the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce that is focused on disseminating information about COVID-19 precautions, practices, and vaccines. Please see our COVID-19 information page for up-to-date information.