WHEELING, W.Va., Oct. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of the
10-year anniversary of Internet Essentials, the largest and most
successful broadband adoption program in the country, Comcast today
announced it is donating 1,200 laptop computers and a total of
$30,000 in grants to benefit
low-income students and households served by Ohio County Schools, the North Wheeling
Community Youth Center and Youth Services System, Inc. of
Wheeling.
The computer donations and grants are part of Project UP,
Comcast's $1 billion commitment to
reach 50 million people over the next 10 years with the tools,
resources, and skills needed to succeed in a digital world.
Recently, Comcast pledged to donate $15
million to low-income students and households across the
country to not only help close the "homework gap" but also put them
on a path toward future professional success. The amount includes
an estimated 25,000 free laptops that will be donated to students,
seniors, veterans, and adults.
As part of that effort, Comcast is donating 850 of these
computers to Ohio County Schools
students, with the district identifying students in need who are
involved in a variety of programs in its four middle schools and
Wheeling Park High School. Ohio
County Schools also plans to distribute some laptops to
community partners, including Crittenton Services and the
Children's Home of Wheeling.
"Comcast's donation will benefit so many students who would have
no other way to own such technology," Ohio County Schools Superintendent
Kimberly Miller said. "I know they
will truly appreciate it, and I'm sure their parents will as well.
Ohio County Schools is so grateful
for this exceptional educational outreach by Comcast."
In addition, Comcast will donate 250 computers to the North
Wheeling Community Youth Center and 100 to Youth Services System
Inc., each of which are also receiving $15,000 grants to continue their work addressing
digital equity in the community. Both community partners already
benefit from Comcast's Lift Zones program, which provides free WiFi
service to help connect low-income families to the Internet so they
can fully participate in educational opportunities and the digital
economy. The North Wheeling Community Youth Center Lift Zone was
activated earlier this year and installations at four Youth
Services System, Inc. sites were recently completed.
"NWCYC has a long-standing relationship with Comcast, and I am
excited to take it to the next level," said Dr. Darrell Cummings, executive director and founder
of North Wheeling Community Youth Center. "For 31 years, NWCYC has
been serving children in need in our immediate Ohio County area, as well as in Brooke, Hancock and Belmont counties.
"Comcast's generous contribution of $15,000 and 250 laptops will go far in helping us
address digital equity in the tri-state area, as we will be working
through sister organizations such as Bethlehem Apostolic Temple in
Wheeling, Shiloh Apostolic Faith
Assembly in Weirton, Greater Love
Ministries in Belmont County and the Ohio Valley Pastors Tri-State
Association as well as other schools and organizations."
"Comcast cares about the communities they serve, and it shows.
This $15,000 donation will allow
Youth Services System to make a positive difference in the lives of
the most vulnerable children and adults in our community, helping
us to prevent homelessness and provide tangible as well as
emotional and mental health support through our many programs,"
said Tammy Kruse, president of Youth
Services System, Inc., which since 1974 has reached 60,000 youth
with its services. "The laptops will give the youth we serve the
technology they need to succeed in school. We want to say thank you
to Comcast for choosing to partner with YSS in its mission to
create better futures for children, families and our
community."
Since its inception in 2011, Comcast's Internet Essentials
program has connected a cumulative total of more than 10 million
low-income Americans to broadband service at home, including more
than 48,000 in West Virginia.
"We are proud to continue our community support in Wheeling and to do so in a very special way
this year by providing these computers and grants," said
Toni Murphy, senior vice president
of Comcast's Keystone Region, which includes the West Virginia panhandle and the Ohio Valley.
"We have been working hard to close the digital divide in our
country and promote digital equity for more than 10 years, and we
believe this support, with the help of our great partners, will go
a long way toward ensuring more households in Wheeling are able to participate in the
digital economy."
Project UP & Comcast's $1
Billion Commitment to Advancing Digital Equity
Internet Essentials is part of Project UP, Comcast's company-wide
initiative to advance digital equity by connecting people to the
Internet; opening doors for the next generation of innovators,
entrepreneurs, and storytellers; and creating new career pathways
in the arts, media, and technology. Built on a decade-long
foundation of working to address digital inequities, Project UP is
backed by a $1 billion commitment
over the next 10 years to invest in programs and partnerships that
will connect an estimated 50 million people with opportunities and
resources they need to create a future of unlimited
possibilities.
About Internet Essentials
Internet Essentials is
Comcast's signature digital equity initiative and the nation's
largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. In 10
years, it has helped connect 10 million low-income Americans to
broadband Internet at home, most for the very first time. It has a
comprehensive design that addresses each of the three major
barriers to broadband adoption. This includes multiple options to
access free digital literacy training in print, online, and in
person; the option to purchase a heavily subsidized, low-cost
Internet-ready computer; and low-cost, high-speed Internet service
for $9.95 a month, plus tax. 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 about Internet
Essentials and Comcast's commitment to education and digital
equity, please visit https://corporate.comcast.com/education. To
apply, visit www.internetessentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376 for
English or 1-855-765-6995 for Spanish.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq:
CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects
people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on
broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer
relationships across the United
States and Europe. We
deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast
Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading
entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed
Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC
and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock,
NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and
provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in
the United States and Asia. Visit
www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
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