Comcast and Mary’s Place today announced a next step in their ongoing commitment to advance digital equity for women and families experiencing homelessness. As a part of a nine-year partnership that has included grants, in-kind contributions, and educational workshops, Comcast is donating another $40,000 to Mary’s Place. The funds will be used to purchase computers, phones, hardware, and software for more than 30 families as they move into stable housing.
Earlier this year, Comcast partnered with Mary’s Place to provide free WiFi to local families experiencing homelessness. Comcast installed Lift Zones that provide free WiFi access inside five Mary’s Place shelters in Bellevue, Kenmore, Burien and Seattle. The Lift Zones are making online resources and technology available to help shelter guests attain life and job skills through training, education, computer classes, internships, job placement, housing search, doing homework and more.
“Comcast has been a digital equity leader and great partner with Mary's Place for years. They've equipped all our shelters with free internet service, donated laptops, sponsored digital literacy programs, and volunteered at our shelters," said Marty Hartman, executive director, Mary’s Place. "The next step in our digital equity partnership is to provide a consistent approach to ensuring that families have what they need to get connected to resources and services as they transition from cars, tents, or shelter to stable housing.”
Mary’s Place Housing Specialists ensure that families transitioning to housing are connected to resources and support. Following the distribution of the digital tools, the specialists will survey families during their 90-day check in to understand the impacts of the donated technology on their housing success. This will help Mary’s Place better understand the most impactful resources for families while directly improving digital access for at least 30 families.
“Access to the internet, technology and computer training is critical for families who are transitioning from homeless to housing,” said Rodrigo Lopez, region senior vice president, Comcast Pacific Northwest Region. “Our long-standing partnership with Mary’s Place aims to advance digital inclusion for families experiencing homelessness and we are happy to provide internet connectivity and technology to help residents successfully move into stable housing.”
Through its Lift Zone initiative, Comcast has installed free WiFi for those needing internet access in local community centers across the nation. In collaboration with cities, community organizations, and local nonprofit partners, Comcast has now installed free WiFi in more than 100 community centers in the Pacific Northwest.
Lift Zones complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program and are part of the company’s ongoing commitment to help connect low-income households to the Internet in and outside of the home. Internet Essentials is Comcast’s signature digital equity initiative and the nation’s largest and most comprehensive private-sector broadband adoption program. Since 2011, Internet Essentials has connected 560,000 low-income individuals statewide to broadband internet, including 336,000 people in the Puget Sound area.
These efforts by Comcast are part of Project UP, the company’s $1 billion commitment to reach millions of people with the tools, resources, and skills needed to succeed in a digital world. Project UP is Comcast’s company-wide initiative to advance digital equity by connecting people to the internet; opening doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and storytellers; and creating new career pathways in the arts, media, and technology.
About Mary’s Place
Mary's Place ensures that no child sleeps outside by centering equity and opportunity for women and families. Today, Mary's Place operates five crisis response family shelters providing refuge and community for ~700 family members. The organization focuses on an innovative strategy of combining homelessness prevention, mobile outreach, emergency shelter, and resources for transition back into housing to end family homelessness. In 2021, Mary's Place helped over 550 families find permanent housing. To learn more, visit www.marysplaceseattle.org. Families that need emergency shelter should call the King County Emergency Family Intake Line at 206-245-1026 between 8 am and 11:30 pm daily.
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 57 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.
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