BOSTON, Sept. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Public
Schools Superintendent Brenda
Cassellius joined Comcast to announce the largest
eligibility expansion of Internet Essentials in
Massachusetts. 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 and include people with disabilities and
seniors.
Since August 2011, Internet
Essentials has connected more than eight million low-income
individuals, from two million households, 90 percent of whom were
not connected to the Internet at home at the time they signed up
under the program. This number includes more than 215,000
residents across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and almost 50,000 low-income
people in Boston.
"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."
"This type of public-private partnership, where a good corporate
citizen helps address community needs, can bring the transformative
change we need in our neighborhoods," said Mayor Walsh. "This
is one of many initiatives my administration is working on to
enhance equity in our city by ensuring that services and resources
are available to every resident in every neighborhood."
"It is so important that all of our students have equitable
access to technology and learning opportunities," said Boston Public Schools Superintendent
Brenda Cassellius. "This is a great
example of bringing all hands on deck to address the needs of our
community. I'm so thankful to Comcast for expanding their
commitment to digital literacy and equity so even more students can
be assured they have the tools to succeed, as we work to finally
close this digital divide."
There were several Internet Essentials events held in
Boston throughout the day.
Olympic Gold Medalists Jocelyne
Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique
Lamoureux-Morando, ambassadors and spokespeople for the
company's corporate values initiatives, joined David L. Cohen in visiting the local community
and raising awareness about the Internet Essentials program.
The first event was at Dorchester's Martin
Luther King School, during which local leaders highlighted
the work being done to bridge the digital divide. Comcast
provided 50 laptops and six months of complimentary Internet
service to students at the MLK School, so they have the tools
they need to study and do their homework.
"We're proud to be partnering with Comcast to help close the
digital divide here in Boston,"
added the Lamoureux twins. "It's crucial that we help all
low-income Americans gain an internet connection at home,
especially to provide access for women and their families, so
everyone has a fair playing field on which to compete in sports and
in life."
At the second event, Comcast joined state legislators and city
councilors at Villa Victoria, an affordable housing community in
the South End, which has become a model in the areas of civil
rights, education, and arts programs. Comcast's Cohen
participated in a discussion on digital equity with a group of
residents hosted by Telemundo New England's Grace Gomez. Comcast also surprised about
30 residents with free laptop computers and six months of
complimentary Internet service.
At the third event, Comcast's Cohen announced a grant to Tech
Goes Home, which connects Bostonians to the promise of the Internet
with training, access, and technology.
"Tech Goes Home empowers communities to access and use digital
tools to overcome barriers and advance lives," said Daniel Noyes, Co-Executive Director of Tech Goes
Home. "As a result of the growth and expansion of Comcast's
Internet Essentials, it's easier than ever for qualified households
in Boston to get online, better
connect with their community, and receive free digital literacy
training. Thanks to partners like Comcast, we are closer to
our goal of making technology and the opportunity it provides
accessible to all."
The final event was at St. Mary's Center for Women and Children,
which offers innovative programs for women and children who have
experienced trauma and are living in poverty. At the event,
Comcast's Cohen announced a series of grants in partnership with
Dell Technologies to upgrade the site's computer lab with new
equipment. Comcast also provided 100 free laptops and six
months of complimentary Internet service to residents.
To apply for Internet Essentials, 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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