Comcast is awarding a total of $30,000 to two nonprofit organizations in the Greater Burlington area to help advance digital literacy skills. These grants are part of Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion commitment to advance digital equity through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers and creators.
The organizations that will benefit from these grants include:
- Boys & Girls Club of Burlington will receive $15,000 to support its MyFuture digital literacy program. MyFuture is an interactive platform that provides kids and teens with hundreds of activities to learn digital skills in a safe online environment. Over 60 kids participate in MyFuture throughout the academic year.
- Technology for Tomorrow will receive $15,000 to provide technology education classes to underserved communities, including older adults and new Americans with refugee backgrounds, as well as participants who are looking to up-skill and/or learn new skills to better position them to land an entry level position or get ahead at work.
“We are thankful to Comcast for providing a grant to support our critical digital literacy learning program, which is reaching older adults and Americans who are new to the country, two demographics that commonly face a gap in digital skills,” said Vijay Desai, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Technology for Tomorrow. “With the company’s support, we can provide additional training to our participants on introductory and advanced digital skills, including everything from basic Internet safety to learning about apps for managing medications and online job searching.”
“We understand the important role that the Internet plays in helping build a future of unlimited possibilities for everyone in the community,” said Carolyne Hannan, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Western New England Region. “We are proud to support the Boys & Girls Club and Technology for Tomorrow in their efforts to get Vermont residents online and provide them with the technical skills and tools they need to compete in today’s world.”
Comcast is deeply committed to advancing digital equity in the communities it serves. Over the past three years, the company has invested $3 million in cash and in-kind contributions to more than 48 non-profits in Vermont. This investment includes digital equity programs such as Internet Essentials and Lift Zones. Since its inception in 2011, Comcast’s Internet Essentials has connected more than 44,000 low-income Vermont residents to broadband service at home. Additionally, Comcast has launched four Lift Zones in Vermont to provide free, high-speed WiFi service to local community centers to promote digital learning.
For additional information on Project UP and Comcast’s digital equity initiatives, visit https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up.
