Comcast Announces $250,000 Grant to Fund Digital Navigators at 26 Chicago Public Library Branches, Plans to Donate 1,000 Laptops to 10 City Non-profits
- Comcast donates $250,000 to support digital navigators at Chicago Public Library branches
- None.
Company leaders join
Comcast Announces
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Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal program which can provide up to
per month toward the cost of eligible households’ Internet and mobile bills;$30 -
Chicago Connected, which provides Internet service for free to eligible households with
Chicago Public Schools students; and - Internet Essentials, a Comcast program that provides low-cost Internet service at home to eligible low-income households with students of all ages, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and public housing residents. Internet Essentials has helped nearly 900,000 Chicagoans connect to the Internet at home since it launched in 2011. The ACP can cover the full cost of Internet Essentials, making it free for eligible households.
“The digital divide disproportionately impacts Chicago’s South and West side communities and has a severe, detrimental impact on our youth and our students,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “I am proud to stand here alongside Chicago Public Library, Comcast and our community partners to announce additional efforts to address this longstanding barrier to achievement and employment, and help Chicagoans thrive well into the 21st century.”
“More than a decade ago, Comcast set out to close the digital divide. We envisioned a network of community partners and programs that would empower Chicagoans with the tools to be exceptional in the 21st century: broadband internet, a computer and digital skills training,” said Broderick Johnson, Comcast’s Executive Vice President of Public Policy and Digital Equity. “Since then, the city, the libraries, Comcast and hundreds of community-based organizations have been on a journey to make digital equity a reality in
"In Chicago today, our libraries aren't just about books – they're gateways to the digital world. Everyone deserves the skills to thrive online," said Commissioner Chris Brown. "With Comcast's invaluable support, we're making strides to ensure that. Beyond technology, it's about equipping every Chicagoan with the tools and confidence for a promising future."
This latest donation is on top of
Comcast also to donate 1,000 laptops to 10 Chicago non-profit organizations
In line with the city’s recent efforts to help more residents get computers, Comcast also announced plans to donate 1,000 laptops to 10 community-based non-profit organizations in
Following is a list of the CPL branches that will use funding from Comcast to support digital navigators and the city non-profits that will receive laptop donations.
CPL Branch |
Neighborhood |
|
|
Back of the Yards |
Back of the Yards |
Chicago Lawn |
Chicago Lawn |
Douglass |
Douglass |
Edgewater |
Edgewater |
Greater Grand Crossing |
Greater Grand Crossing |
Harold Washington Library Center |
Chicago Loop |
Humboldt Park |
Humboldt Park |
Kelly |
Englewood |
King |
Bronzeville |
Legler Regional |
West Garfield Park |
Little Village |
Little Village |
|
|
Pullman |
Pullman |
Richard M. Daley |
Humboldt Park |
Rogers Park |
East Rogers Park |
Sherman Park |
Englewood |
|
|
South Shore |
South Shore |
Sulzer Regional |
Lincoln Square |
Thurgood Marshall |
|
Toman |
Little Village |
West Chicago Avenue |
|
West Englewood |
West Englewood |
West Pullman |
West Pullman |
|
Washington Heights |
|
|
Non-Profit |
Neighborhood |
Access Living |
Near North Side |
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago CC’s Little Village Club |
Little Village |
Bright Star Community Outreach |
Grand Boulevard |
BUILD |
|
Chicago Urban League |
Grand Boulevard |
Chinese American Service League |
Chinatown |
Obama Foundation |
Hyde Park |
PODER |
Gage Park |
YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago |
West Rogers Park |
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago |
|
The grant funding and laptop donations announced today are part of Project UP, Comcast’s 10-year,
“Comcast serves all 77 Chicago neighborhoods, and we provide the same services and the same level of service in each and every one of them, regardless of the zip code.” said Carl Jones, Jr., Comcast’s Regional Vice President of External and Government Affairs. “This has allowed us to bring Internet Essentials, Lift Zones and our other digital equity programs to neighborhoods across the city and help hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans harness the power of the Internet.”
For more information about Internet Essentials and ACP and its eligibility requirements, visit www.xfinity.com/free, call 1-855-8INTERNET (1-855-846-8376) or visit a local Xfinity Store. Click here for information about Comcast’s local digital equity efforts and presence in
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 Comcast’s
With around 5,000 local employees, Comcast’s
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230919578025/en/
Amanda Vallejo
Comcast Greater Chicago Region
amanda_vallejo@cable.comcast.com
Source: Comcast Corporation