Easterseals Southeastern Pennsylvania, a national leading provider of services for people with disabilities, has received a $20,000 grant from the Comcast Foundation as part of the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund, established in 2011. This fund supports technology programs and services that benefit children and adults, including veterans, living with disabilities. These technologies can vary from braille-equipped handheld computer systems to augmentative communication devices and everything in between.
“For their continued support of Easterseals and people with disabilities, we thank Comcast for their investment in assistive technology solutions,” said Carl Webster, Executive Director and CEO, Easterseals of Southeastern Pennsylvania. “This grant gives the individuals and families we serve increased access to powerful assistive technology solutions so they can live, learn, work and play in their communities.”
“We believe in the power of technology and are proud to support Easterseals Southeastern Pennsylvania in its mission to use assistive technology to help ensure that people with disabilities have every opportunity to be active participants in their lives and communities,” said Bob Smith, Vice President of Community Impact, Comcast Freedom Region. “We are confident that together we can help children and adults gain more independence, unlock new opportunities, and achieve great things.”
Easterseals Southeastern Pennsylvania will use the grant to expand access to assistive technology solutions that increase an individual’s independence, empower staff and individuals/families to create and utilize assistive technology, and increase functional skills of people with disabilities through the use of “maker spaces” – collaborative work spaces utilizing 3D printers for learning, exploring and making and sharing this high tech tool to solve everyday challenges.
In total this year, Easterseals received $230,000 from the Comcast Foundation as part of the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund, awarding $50,000 to the national office for the development of a PSA for use during Easterseals’ 100th Anniversary in 2019, as well as for other support delivered by the national office to its network of 73 affiliates. The remaining $180,000 in grant funds was split across 10 Easterseals affiliates to support assistive technology programs including Southeastern Pennsylvania, as well as DC/Maryland/Virginia, Massachusetts, South Florida, Chicagoland/Rockford, North Georgia, Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Greater Houston.
Since 2011, the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund has empowered an estimated 50,000 Americans living with disabilities by providing expanded assistive technology training and services. To date, Comcast NBCUniversal has provided nearly $35 million in cash and in-kind support to help Easterseals and to advance assistive technology solutions nationwide.