PITTSBURGH, Sept. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto, The Veterans Leadership Program
of Western Pennsylvania, The
Neighborhood Academy, and Strong Women Strong Girls Pittsburgh
joined Comcast at three separate events today to announce the
largest eligibility expansion of Internet Essentials in
Pennsylvania. The program,
which is the nation's largest, most comprehensive, and most
successful low-income broadband adoption initiative, will now have
double the number of eligible low-income households, including
those with people with disabilities and seniors.
Since 2011, more than 8 million low-income Americans have been
connected to the Internet at home through the Internet Essentials
program. This includes more than 680,000 residents across the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
including more than 120,000 low-income people in the Greater Pittsburgh Metro Area.
"This expansion is the culmination of an audacious goal we set
eight years ago, which was to meaningfully and significantly close
the digital divide for low-income Americans," said David L. Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President
and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast NBCUniversal. "Whether
the Internet is used for students to do their homework, adults to
look for and apply for new jobs, seniors to keep in touch with
friends and family, or veterans to access their well-deserved
benefits, it is absolutely essential to success in our modern,
digital age."
The first event held today was co-hosted by Mayor Peduto and The
Veterans Leadership Program of Western
Pennsylvania, where Comcast was also joined by Congressman
Conor Lamb to highlight the work
being done broadly to bridge the digital divide and specifically
how Comcast is engaging veterans. Cohen was joined by 2018
Women's Hockey Olympic Gold Medalists Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando, who serve as national
spokespeople for Internet Essentials, in unveiling both a mobile
and in-house computer lab, funded by Comcast. Thirty veterans in
need were also presented with free laptops by Comcast during the
event.
"We're proud to be partnering with Comcast to help close the
digital divide here in Pittsburgh
and Pennsylvania," added the
Lamoureux twins. "It's crucial that we help all low-income
Americans gain an internet connection at home, so everyone has a
fair playing field on which to compete in sports and in life."
"Digital equity is no longer a goal, it's a necessity for a
healthy community. Comcast's expansion of Internet Essentials will
drive inclusive innovation into the homes of those we can't afford
to leave behind," said Mayor Peduto.
The second event was an assembly with 150 students, faculty, and
staff at The Neighborhood Academy in Stanton Heights. There,
Cohen announced a grant to support the academy's STEM curriculum
and as well as help the center develop advanced digital literacy
skills. Cohen and the Lamoureux twins then surprised all the
students with free laptop computers and opportunity cards,
entitling each student to six months of free Internet service at
home.
At the day's final event, Comcast joined Strong Women Strong
Girls Pittsburgh (SWSGP) in an assembly at Pittsburgh Public
School's Dilworth Elementary School, site of one of SWSGP's cohorts
of mentees. There, Cohen announced two grants, including a
Dell equipment grant, to SWSGP, which will use the funding to
support its ongoing technology programs, a mobile computer lab, and
expanding into new geographic areas. Cohen then surprised all
the students with free laptop computers and opportunity cards,
entitling each student to six months of free Internet service at
home.
Since August 2011, Internet
Essentials has connected more than eight million low-income
individuals, from two million households, to the Internet at home,
most for the first time in their lives. To apply for the
program, low-income applicants simply need to show they are
participating in one of more than a dozen different government
assistance programs. A full list can be found at
www.internetessentials.com.
Internet Essentials has an integrated, wrap-around design that
addresses each of the three major barriers to broadband adoption
that research has identified. These include: a lack of
digital literacy skills, lack of awareness of the relevance of the
Internet to everyday life needs, and fear of the Internet; the lack
of a computer; and cost of internet service. The program is
structured as a partnership between Comcast and tens of thousands
of school districts, libraries, elected officials, and nonprofit
community partners. For more information, or to apply for the
program in seven different languages, please visit
www.internetessentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376. Spanish-only
speakers can also call 1-855-765-6995.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq:
CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with three primary
businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is
one of the United States' largest
video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential
customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services
to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and
automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity
brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and
sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks,
television production operations, television station groups,
Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of
Europe's leading media and
entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of
video content through its pay television services. It also provides
communications services, including residential high-speed internet,
phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast
network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original
content, and has exclusive content rights. Visit
www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
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SOURCE Comcast Corporation