Comcast today announced it is equipping two nonprofits in Bucks County with WiFi-connected “Lift Zones” as part of its ongoing commitment to help students and adults get online, participate in distance learning or remote work, do homework or look for and apply for jobs. Working with local centers, Comcast is providing robust WiFi solution at the YWCA Bucks (Creekside Community Center) and Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter to help hundreds of people get online.
“The Comcast Lift Zone at the YWCA’s Creekside Community Center has been a lifeline for youth and families as they navigate this new virtual world. We are grateful for the generosity of Comcast and their commitment to keeping us all connected with school, work, friends and family during COVID-19 and beyond,” said Kristin Chapin, Associate Director, YWCA Bucks County.
“The Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter, owned and operated by Family Service, provides temporary residence and critical resources for individuals and families who have lost safe and stable housing. Last year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we served 396 people, including 130 children, at the shelter. The pandemic made our shelter’s daily operations significantly more challenging for the individuals and families we serve, but that is why we are so grateful to Comcast for their help equipping our shelter as a Lift Zone. Reliable, high speed Internet provides the adults we serve with access to education, research, job training programs and other online career services, while our children are able to continue their studies and engage in remote learning,” said CEO Julie Dees.
In March, Comcast announced a $1 billion commitment over ten years in continued support of digital equity, including its Lift Zones initiative, which aims to establish WiFi-connected safe spaces in 1,000+ community centers nationwide for students and adults by the end of 2021.
Lift Zones complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which has helped connect a cumulative total of 10 million low-income people to the Internet at home since 2011, including more than 20,000 in Bucks County. Working with its network of nonprofit partners, Comcast is providing free WiFi hotspot connectivity in community centers with access to hundreds of hours of digital skills content to help families and site coordinators navigate online learning. Comcast has already launched more than 100 Lift Zones across Greater Philadelphia and New Jersey.
“The pandemic has put many low-income families at risk of being left behind, and we’re proud to work with community partners to support them with Internet adoption and digital equity programs like this one,” said Jim Samaha, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Freedom Region. “We hope these Lift Zones help Bucks County families stay connected to vital resources.”
