Comcast has announced it is awarding four Pittsburgh-based non-profit organizations a total of $150,000 in grants as part of its continued investment in Allegheny County. These funds, which will be awarded to the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania, Neighborhood Allies, STEM Coding Lab, and Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania are part of Project UP, Comcast’s $1 billion commitment to advance digital equity through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.
Comcast’s local grants will support the following initiatives:
- African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania – The Chamber will deploy a series of digital skills workshops and webinars that will teach website development, digital marketing, and e-commerce business creation to members of the Chamber.
- Neighborhood Allies – The community development organization will host three educational events for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs focused on technical assistance for web design, social media training, and e-commerce training. Neighborhood Allies will also host a website roundtable with digital experts to share firsthand knowledge and troubleshoot business needs.
- STEM Coding Lab – With a focus on kindergarten through eighth-grade learners, the organization will continue to equip students – especially those who wouldn’t otherwise have access – with computer science education. The curriculum includes coding classes during which participants create story animations, games, websites, and apps, and STEM Coding Lab will introduce a new program on Artificial Intelligence locally.
- Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania – The organization will serve Veterans in 30 counties through its mobile computer bank and digital literacy programs, which are focused on housing search assistance and career development coaching. Continued guided job exploration, resume development, and job application coaching will also be provided.
“Veterans in our community have relied on our partnership with Comcast since we joined forces 10 years ago,” said Ben Stahl, D.Sc., Chief Executive Officer of the Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania. “With this grant from Comcast, we will continue to aid Veterans in their career growth and help them find a safe and secure place to live.”
Comcast’s local investment also includes the installation of a total of 176 free WiFi-connected Lift Zones in Pennsylvania, and there are more than 1,250 Lift Zones nationwide. Lift Zones, which provide Internet access on-the-go, complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program that provides in-home broadband connectivity. Lift Zones help students, Veterans, and anyone who, for a variety of reasons (including homelessness, or housing insecurity issues), need somewhere to go during the day to connect to the Internet and to learn digital skills.
“We believe in the power of digital equity, digital literacy, and strong connectivity to improve quality of life,” said Kevin Broadhurst, Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Comcast’s Keystone Region, which is based in Pennsylvania. “Awarding grants to Pittsburgh-area purpose-driven organizations allows our community to excel through high-speed Internet and effective training.”
In addition to the grants, and as part of Comcast’s commitment to improving access to fast, reliable Internet throughout Pittsburgh, network expansion projects are currently ongoing in both Allegheny and Butler Counties. These include projects in Marshall and Pine Townships, which will bring the Xfinity network to approximately 3,000 homes and additional businesses, and Cranberry Township, where approximately 8,000 homes will have access once construction is complete. In addition, the company was awarded funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania this year to connect underserved and unserved communities across Beaver, Indiana, and Westmoreland Counties.
