The Comcast Foundation announced that it has awarded $434,200 in grants to twenty nonprofit organizations in New England in 2017. The grants help grow the impact of programs aimed at expanding digital literacy, promoting service, and mentoring tomorrow’s leaders.
YWCA of Western Massachusetts, Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters in Hartford, Connecticut, and the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs are among the many local organizations that are making a significant difference in the community and were supported by the Comcast Foundation this year. Comcast values the critical services these nonprofits provide to youth, underprivileged and disabled individuals and the proven results they have achieved in the communities where Comcast customers and employees live and work. A number of grant recipients, including the Boys & Girls Club of New Haven, Urban League of Springfield, and Lawrence Community Works Inc are using their funding for STEM and computer-related education and occupational workforce training.
“We all see how fast technology is changing. Technologies that we take for granted today were science fiction a mere 20 years ago. As the pace of change continues to speed up, people who can’t keep up will be left out,” said Stephen E. Morris, executive director of The Arc of the Farmington Valley in Connecticut, also known as Favarh. “This grant from Comcast will allow us to teach Favarh clients how to use computers, smartphones, and navigate social media safely and securely. Most people can become competent with just a little training and the right motivation.”
“Our kids thirst for ways to experience the world through technology,” added Tanya Benosky, Executive Director Boys & Girls Club of Burlington Vermont. “We’re so grateful to Comcast for supporting My.Future at our Club. It’s an invaluable opportunity for our members to learn about digital literacy while simultaneously exploring their passions for activities like media making or science. We can’t thank Comcast enough for making learning this much fun.”
“Comcast is proud to award these grants to our partner organizations that share our commitment to improving communities and enriching lives,” said Mike Parker, Regional Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Western New England Region which includes Vermont, Connecticut, western Massachusetts, western New Hampshire, and New York. “Thanks to the tireless and extremely important work of these nonprofit organizations, New England is a better place to call home.”
Additional organizations receiving Comcast Foundation grants in New England include:
Connecticut:
- ARC New London County (Norwich, CT) – $10,000
- Center for Latino Progress (Hartford, CT) – $10,000
- Boys & Girls Club of New Haven (New Haven, CT) – $10,000
- Easter Seals Capital Region & Eastern Connecticut (Windsor, CT) – $20,000
- Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters (Hartford, CT) – $30,000
- The Arc of the Farmington Valley, Inc.(Canton, CT) – $15,000
- Urban League of Greater Hartford (Hartford, CT) – $21,800
- Urban League of Southwestern Connecticut (New Haven, CT) – $15,000
- YWCA Hartford Region (Hartford, CT) – $20,000
Massachusetts:
- ARC Norfolk (Westwood, MA) – $40,000.00
- Big Sister Association of Greater Boston (Boston, MA) – $30,000
- Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (Boston, MA) – $13,000
- Girl Scouts of Eastern MA (Waltham, MA) – $25,000
- Lawrence Community Works Inc (Lawrence, MA) – $12,000
- Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs (Boston, MA) – $75,000
- Museum of African American History (Boston, MA) – $30,000
- Urban League of Springfield (Springfield, MA) – $20,000
- YWCA Western Massachusetts (Springfield, MA) – $12,470
New Hampshire:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire (Portsmouth, NH) – $12,000
Vermont:
- Boys & Girls Club of Burlington (Burlington, VT) – $13,000
Including the support in New England, the Comcast Foundation in 2017 has donated about $20 million to nonprofit organizations in the communities it serves nationwide. In addition to the grants from the Comcast Foundation, Comcast also responds to community needs through local sponsorships and in-kind support, such as airing public service announcements, employee volunteerism, and providing technology equipment and services to organizations across the country. Looking ahead to 2018, the Comcast Foundation will build on its efforts through an added focus on expanding access to technology to promote digital inclusion, helping individuals build skills for the digital economy, and encouraging innovation and entrepreneurialism.
More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/community.
