Comcast Logo
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Comcast Philadelphia & New Jersey

  • About
  • Contact
  • Careers

Comcast Works With SEAMAAC and The Welcoming Center to Provide Laptops, Internet Access to Immigrants

4 months ago

New immigrants to Philadelphia face a myriad of challenges, from finding housing and work to enrolling their children in school.

Without broadband Internet at home, these challenges become even harder.

That’s why Comcast works with organizations supporting immigrant communities to provide Internet access and laptops for many of Philadelphia’s newest residents. The city’s immigrant population has grown substantially in recent decades, the percentage more than doubling since 1990. More than a quarter of the city’s residents are either immigrants or have immigrant parents.

Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC) and The Welcoming Center are two nonprofits that help new neighbors gain essential English language skills, digital literacy training and access to the workforce. This fall, Comcast gave 250 laptop computers  along with information on how to apply for Internet Essentials and the federal government’s Emergency Broadband Benefit (now the Affordable Connectivity Program) to constituents of SEAMAAC and The Welcoming Center as part of the 10th Anniversary of Internet Essentials celebration. With these tools, more Philadelphians are able to better succeed in the digital economy.

The two organizations have missions that serve new Philadelphians and longtime residents alike.

SEAMAAC supports immigrants, refugees and other economically, socially and politically marginalized Philadelphia communities. Digital literacy is important for new arrivals to gain employment in the workforce, which makes a partnership with Comcast a natural fit.

“We began partnering with Comcast in 2015,” says SEAMAAC CEO Thoai Nguyen. “We opened the first digital literacy lab. That helped us to close some of the gaps and start to bridge the chasm in immigrant and refugee communities. Comcast provided the funding and technology, and we provided the trust and the language skills needed to work with 25 different language groups represented in Philadelphia.”

Nguyen also celebrates Comcast’s support for PHLConnectED, which connects pre-K-12 student households to free, reliable Internet. “We partner with the city of Philly through PHLConnectED, which is also funded by Comcast,” he says. “We’ve been able to connect with and reach thousands of families throughout Philadelphia to tell them about Internet Essentials and digital literacy resources. We want to maintain this not just throughout the pandemic but in perpetuity.”

The Welcoming Center, meanwhile, promotes inclusive economic growth through immigrant and refugee integration. According to CEO Peter Gonzales, Comcast plays an important role in helping realize this mission.

“Over the past 30 years, the city has grown tremendously because of the number of immigrants that have come to the city,” says Gonzales. “Comcast plays a vital role in supporting the work of nonprofits like ours so that we can best support this community. Comcast provides Internet Essentials to help our neighbors gain access to information and services.”

Named a Top Diverse Employer by DIVERSEability Magazine, Comcast also is known for hiring Philadelphians from different backgrounds. “As one of our city’s largest employers, Comcast plays a crucial role in hiring members of the immigrant population, who bring skills that are hugely beneficial to our local economy,” adds Gonzales.

Partnering with organizations like SEAMAAC and The Welcoming Center allows Comcast to increase digital equity among communities across the city.

“We’re proud of the work we’re doing with Philadelphia’s immigrant population,” says Bob Smith, regional vice president of community impact at Comcast. “We want this community to thrive. Expanded access to computers and Internet service will help immigrants and refugees with needed digital literacy learning.”

For more information on SEAMAAC, visit their website and social media pages: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.

For more information on The Welcoming Center, visit their website and social media pages: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.

 

Filed Under: Community Investment
Tagged With: 2022, digital literacy, internet essentials, January, Philadelphia, SEAMAAC, The Welcoming Center

Community Investment

Secondhand Clothes, Firsthand Experience: How Goodwill Is Transforming Adult Education in Philly and South Jersey

2 weeks ago

Our region faces a troubling education gap: While New Jersey boasts one of the nation’s highest percentages of PhDs (1.5%), about 10% of adults in the state … Read More...

Customer Experience

Comcast Expands High Speed Internet in Honey Brook Borough

4 days ago

Comcast announced the expansion of its smart, fast and reliable fiber-rich network throughout Honey Brook Borough, bringing its full suite of Xfinity and … Read More...

Comcast Business

Comcast RISE to Provide Additional $1 Million to Support Philadelphia Small Businesses

1 week ago

Since 2020, Comcast RISE has invested in the success of small businesses owned by people of color and women by providing valuable and practical support in the … Read More...

Events

A member of the armed forces holds an American flag.

A Veterans Day Special Salute – 200 American Flags Retired

3 years ago

Comcast is committed to supporting veterans and the broader military community – both inside the company and out. One example is our Veterans Network Employee … Read More...

Terms of Service. Privacy Policy. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Copyright © 2022 Comcast Corporation. All rights reserved.

Comcast Logo

This site uses cookies to enable your digital experience. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies as described in our Privacy Policy.

I agree
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT