MARY'S PLACE AND COMCAST PARTNER TO ADVANCE DIGITAL EQUITY FOR FAMILIES TRANSITIONING FROM HOMELESSNESS TO HOUSING

Comcast and Mary's Place announced today a new step in their ongoing effort to improve digital equity for families experiencing homelessness and women. Comcast will donate $40,000 more to Mary's Place as part of a nine year partnership that included grants, in kind contributions, and education workshops. These funds will be used for the purchase of computers, phones and hardware for over 30 families who are attempting to move into permanent housing. Comcast and Mary's Place partnered earlier this year to offer free WiFi access to families living in homelessness. Comcast has installed Lift Zones which provide free WiFi access in five Mary's Place shelters located in Seattle, Kenmore and Burien. Lift Zones make online resources and technology accessible to shelter guests. They offer training, education, computer classes and internships. "Comcast has been a great partner with Mary's Place since years. They are a digital equity leader, and a great partner." Marty Hartman is Mary's Place's executive director. "They've provided free internet service to all of our shelters and donated laptops. They also sponsored digital literacy programs. And they've volunteered at our shelters," Hartman said. The next step in our digital equity partnership will be to ensure that families have the tools and support they need as they move from shelter, cars, tents or shelter to permanent housing. Mary's Place Housing Specialists make sure families who are looking for housing have access to support and resources. After the distribution of digital tools, specialists will conduct a 90-day survey of families to assess the impact of donated technology on housing success. Mary's Place will be able to better understand which resources are most important for families and how they can improve digital access for at least 30 families. Rodrigo Lopez (region senior vice president, Comcast Pacific Northwest Region) stated that families transitioning from being homeless to housing require access to technology, the internet and computer training. "Our long-standing partnership is with Mary's Place and aims to improve digital inclusion for families experiencing homelessness. We are happy to provide internet connectivity to assist residents in successfully moving into stable housing. Comcast's Lift Zone initiative has provided free WiFi access to those in need of internet access at local community centers throughout the country. Comcast, in collaboration with local communities and nonprofit partners, has installed free WiFi at more than 100 community centers throughout the Pacific Northwest. This is part of Comcast's ongoing commitment of helping low-income households connect to the Internet. Internet Essentials, Comcast's digital equity program, is the largest and most comprehensive private sector broadband adoption program in the country. Internet Essentials has provided broadband internet access to 560,000 low-income residents across the state, including 33,000 people living in Puget Sound. Comcast's efforts are part of Project UP. The $1 billion commitment by the company to reach millions with the resources, skills, and tools needed to thrive in a digital age, is the reason for these Comcast initiatives. Comcast's corporate initiative Project UP aims to increase digital equity. It connects people to the internet, opens doors for entrepreneurs and storytellers to succeed in the digital age, and creates new career paths in media, arts, and technology. Mary's Place: Mary's Place is committed to equity and opportunities for women and their families, and ensures that no child goes without a roof. Mary's Place currently operates five family shelters that provide refuge and community to 700 families. Its innovative strategy combines homelessness prevention, mobile outreach and emergency shelter with resources for transition back to housing to end family homelessness. Mary's Place assisted over 550 families to find permanent housing in 2021. Visit URL to learn more. Family members in need of emergency shelter should contact the King County Emergency Family Intake Line at (202) 245-1026 between 8 and 11:15 pm each day. With over 57 million customers in the United States and Europe, we are primarily focused on broadband, streaming, aggregation and streaming. We offer broadband, wireless and video through our Xfinity and Comcast Business brands. For more information, visit URL. Contact DetailsComcastJack EMAIL__ompany website__URL. Source: News Direct

20.12.2022 CET/CEST. Dissemination and publication of a Corporate News. This announcement is transmitted by EQS News – a service provided by EQS Group AG.