Residents of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties Will Soon Be Able to
Dial 2-1-1 to Receive Digital Support from Trained & Trusted
Community Partners
To Celebrate Digital Inclusion
Week, Comcast Also Donates 400 Laptops to Eight
Nonprofits
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 5, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- Comcast and the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey today announced the
expansion of an innovative Digital Navigator Network that currently
serves Philadelphia residents.
Digital Navigators are trusted individuals who work at
community organizations to help people sign up for internet service
and learn digital skills. Starting November
2023, residents of Bucks,
Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties will
also be able to take advantage of support for questions about
digital access and where to learn digital literacy skills by
dialing 2-1-1. The service expansion is supported by a $317,000 grant from Comcast that is part of
Project UP, the company's $1 billion
commitment to advance digital equity.
Comcast's partnership to scale the United Way's Digital
Navigator Network builds on the company's long-standing commitment
to bridge the digital divide in Pennsylvania. In addition to the grant, and to
celebrate Digital Inclusion Week, Comcast donated 50 laptops each,
400 in total, to the eight nonprofit community organizations that
are part of this network to support their critical digital
navigation work.
"In today's digital age, access to technology and the skills to
navigate it are fundamental to success in school, work and beyond,"
said Bill Golderer, CEO &
President of United Way of Greater
Philadelphia and Southern New
Jersey. "To bridge the digital divide, people often need
different types of help, sometimes from different organizations,
over months or years. To meet their needs, each digital navigator
in our network brings complementary strengths and services to the
network, ensuring 2-1-1 can connect callers to the organization
best suited to meet their needs."
Digital Navigators will help residents address the barriers that
prevent some people from getting online – namely digital skills and
access to devices. In addition, network organizations – which
include: ACLAMO, Beyond Literacy, Chester Education Foundation,
Drexel ExCITe Center, Esperanza, Literacy Council of Norristown, Media Fellowship House, and
SEAMAAC – will collaborate, host educational events, raise
awareness, and share resources and key learnings with each other to
better address the needs of the community.
"Thanks to the Digital Navigator network, I received the support
I needed to successfully sign up for the Affordable Connectivity
Program and Internet Essentials Plus from Comcast," said
Sandra Speight, a Philadelphia retiree who had trouble
navigating the process on her own. "I am a long-time WDAS-FM
listener and one day I heard a commercial for ACP and the 2-1-1
hotline. I called and was connected to a Digital Navigator from
Beyond Literacy that I was able to meet with in person. I now have
the connectivity I need, without the financial burden. I am so
grateful for those resources. I wasn't alone thanks to the Digital
Navigator network."
Dan Bonelli, Senior Vice
President for Comcast's Freedom Region, said: "Digital Navigators
and their work at the neighborhood level building digital skills
and awareness of resources to help get residents online are
critical to closing the digital divide. We are proud to support
this innovative effort to meet residents where they are and make it
easy for them to reach out and get the help needed to take
advantage of all that the Internet has to offer."
Additionally, to help residents who may face issues with
affordability, Comcast is offering exclusive Internet deals and
spreading the word about eligibility for the federal
government's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). ACP
provides qualifying individuals with a discount of up to
$30/month toward their internet
service. With it, eligible Comcast customers can purchase
either Internet Essentials or Internet Essentials Plus at no
cost once the Federal credit is applied. Internet Essentials
customers can also add a line of unlimited 5G cellular data
($45) through Xfinity Mobile for as
little as $24.95/month, after the ACP
benefit is applied. As a result, the ACP benefit could save them up
to $360 a year.
Comcast is deeply committed to advancing digital equity in the
communities it serves. The company's community partnerships in
Pennsylvania over the past three
years have totaled $144.7 million in
cash and in-kind contributions to more than 646 local non-profits.
This investment includes the installation of more than 190 Lift
Zones in Pennsylvania, which
provide free WiFi service to local community centers to expand
access to digital skills learning opportunities.
A similar Digital Navigator Network expansion to Pittsburgh area residents in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Fayette, and Westmoreland counties and supported by
Literacy Pittsburgh, Macedonia FACE, and YWCA of Westmoreland County is also being announced
today. The model for these networks is the United Way Digital
Navigator Network in Philadelphia
that was developed through a grant from PHLConnectED, the City's
initiative to provide free internet access to pre-K–12 students in
need. PHLConnectED was launched with philanthropic support from
Comcast, The Lenfest Foundation, Neubauer Family Foundation,
Philadelphia School Partnership, William Penn Foundation, Fralic
Family Fund, Hess Foundation, The School District of Philadelphia, select Philadelphia charter schools, and Independence
Mission Schools.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and
technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide,
to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach
hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide.
We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through
Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream
leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including
NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible
theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations
& Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more
information.
About United Way of Greater
Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
United Way
of Greater Philadelphia and
Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ) is
on a mission to end poverty and expand opportunity for all. Serving
Pennsylvania's Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, and New Jersey's Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape
May and Cumberland
counties, United Way creates solutions that break the cycle of
poverty. As part of a network of independent local nonprofit
organizations, United Way provides countless ways to give, advocate
and volunteer. To learn more, visit www.unitedforimpact.org.
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