Comcast is awarding a total of $136,500 to eight nonprofit organizations in Connecticut to help teach 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 Clubs of Hartford will receive $20,000 to purchase equipment for the Club’s makerspaces and technology lab, which provides students with hands-on STEAM, leadership and visual arts activities.
- Easterseals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut will receive $20,000 to purchase software and equipment to support the development of a Veterans Rally Point Broadcasting Network, through which participants produce podcasts and content to raise awareness of Veteran-related issues.
- Urban League of Greater Hartford will receive $20,000 to provide Hartford-area youth with media and technology skills for their own personal and professional development and to enhance STEAM exploration to prepare them for college, work and life.
- YWCA Hartford Region will receive $20,000 to support a training program that prepares women for careers in high-demand and high-growth industries by focusing on the development of technical skills, including web-based programming, computer basics, workforce development and networking skills.
- Boys & Girls Club of Greater Waterbury will receive $15,000 to provide access to a range of digital resources, such as e-books, online databases, educational websites and multimedia materials.
- CfAL For Digital Inclusion will receive $15,000 to support staffing and the purchase of software and STEAM lesson kits to teach New Haven youth technology skills that will foster success in school and later in their career.
- Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford will receive $15,000 to provide software, computers and tablets for participants and volunteers in its Career Pathways program, which provides career and digital skills training to help low-literate adults enter the workforce, seek advancement and achieve financial independence.
- CT LEAD will receive $11,500 to provide computer literacy training to immigrant English learners who face unique challenges. This funding will support a fully equipped computer lab and language support materials, including bilingual textbooks, language learning software and translation services during training sessions.
“We are grateful for Comcast’s support of our Project Ready youth program, which prepares high school students for post-secondary success,” said David Hopkins, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Urban League of Greater Hartford. “The program stresses the importance of literacy, including digital literacy and STEAM skills, at every level of a student’s academic development. Thanks to this grant, we’re able to provide the coaching, tutoring and mentoring these students need to achieve their goals.”
“We understand the important role that the Internet and digital literacy plays in helping to build a future of unlimited possibilities for everyone in the community,” said Carolyne Hannan, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s New England Region, which is based in Berlin, Connecticut. “We are proud to support these organizations in their efforts to provide Connecticut residents with the tools, resources and opportunities they need to participate and excel in an increasingly digital world.”
This grant is part of Comcast’s ongoing commitment to Connecticut, where the company has invested more than $335 million in technology and infrastructure over the last three years, including upgrades to its local network.
Comcast is deeply committed to advancing digital equity in the communities it serves. Over the past three years, the company has invested over $11 million in cash and in-kind contributions to 177 non-profits in Connecticut. 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 288,000 low-income Connecticut residents to broadband service at home. Additionally, Comcast has launched 32 Lift Zones in Connecticut 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.
