Lift Zones provide safe spaces where students can access the Internet for schoolwork and adults can come to build digital skills
February 16, 2022– Comcast today announced the launch of a new “Lift Zone” at Heart Haven OutReach (H2O), a non-profit organization in Bolingbrook, IL, whose mission is to transform the lives of at-risk struggling teens through caring relationships and programs that support healthy development. Lift Zones are WiFi-connected safe spaces where students can get online to do schoolwork and adults can get online to learn new digital skills and access an array of services. In addition, the company donated 10 laptop computers to the organization.
The COVID-19 crisis put a lot of low-income students and families at risk of being left behind and accelerated the need for comprehensive digital equity and Internet adoption programs to support them. This latest location is part of a larger multi-year plan by Comcast to build Lift Zones at more than 1,000 community-based organizations throughout the country, with nearly 80 completed in this region alone. The Lift Zones complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, a low-cost Internet adoption program for low-income families, which has helped more than 10 million people in America – 1.3 million in Illinois alone – connect to the Internet at home since it was launched in 2011.
“Heart Haven OutReach gives its youth the tools they need to prepare for the future,” said Heart Haven OutReach Executive Director Ryan Lawrence. “The Lift Zone and laptops are crucial tools in our efforts to help them succeed in both school and later in an increasingly digital workforce.”
“Through Internet Essentials, Comcast has helped hundreds of thousands of Illinois families cross the digital divide,” said John Crowley, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region Senior Vice President. “I’m proud that Comcast recognized the impact of the digital divide early on, stepped up and now continues to offer solutions that further our commitment to communities through the creation of Lift Zones.”
Crowley also noted that the federal government recently launched a digital equity initiative called the “Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)”, which provides eligible low-income households a credit up to $30 a month toward the cost of Internet service. Comcast supports ACP and has made it available for all tiers of its Xfinity Internet plans, as well as Internet Essentials. For more information, visit www.xfinity.com/free.
Project UP and Comcast’s $1 Billion Commitment to Advance Digital Equity
For over a decade, connecting more people to the Internet and the technology they need to participate and excel in an increasingly digital world has been a core focus for the company. Looking toward the next ten years, Comcast is building on that foundation and expanding its impact through Project UP, a comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities.
Backed by a $1 billion commitment to reach 50 million people, Project UP encompasses the programs and community partnerships across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators. For more information on Project UP and the latest news on efforts to address digital inequities visit https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
With nearly 6,000 local employees, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region
(https://chicago.comcast.com) serves customers in central and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan. “Like” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Facebook by visiting @Comcast. “Follow” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Twitter at @ComcastIllinois.
