Mission:
To maximize the potential of technology to help low-income people improve their lives and enter the economic mainstream; and to provide online, bilingual educational content at a literacy level that can be easily understood.

Background:
Launched in 2001 by One Economy Corporation, a multi-national nonprofit that brings broadband to the homes of low-income people, the Beehive is a Web site that provides information in English or Spanish on subjects including education, health, financial services, family issues, and employment. To date, nearly nine million people have used it to file their income taxes and get a refund, create a business plan or family budget, find a tutor, or learn how to write a check, earn their GED, or obtain Medicaid. Of the several hundred thousand consumers the Beehive serves each month, more than 70 percent live in low-income areas, and 20 percent access the Web site in Spanish. Over thirty regional versions of the Beehive provide area-specific information and resources throughout the United States, and it is launching in Jordan and South Africa.

Outstanding Web Features:
From the Beehive's home page, users access information about money, health and fitness, school, jobs and careers, starting and owning a business, family, and insurance; for area-specific information, they can switch to a regional Beehive. Each section provides in-depth information on a subject; for instance, under "health and fitness," users may learn about nutrition, pregnancy, parenting, common diseases and their symptoms, free or low-cost insurance for children, and over-the-counter and prescription drugs.