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Comcast
expands
commitment
to
bridge
Digital
Divide
with
$100K in
laptops,
tablets
for
Michigan
students
Company
Also
Extends
60 Days
of Free
Internet
Service
to New
Internet
Essentials
Customers
Through
End of
Year
PLYMOUTH,
MI -
Comcast
is
expanding
its
multi-year,
multi-million-dollar
commitment
to
connect
Michiganders
to the
internet
with
$100,000
in
grants
to equip
K-12
students
with
laptops
or
tablets
for
e-learning
next
school
year.
The
company
has
donated
$50,000
each to
the
State of
Michigan
and
Detroit
Public
Schools
Foundation
to get
much-needed
devices
in the
hands of
students
who have
been
unable
to
access
online
learning
to
engage
in
lessons,
video
streaming
with
teachers
and
other
opportunities
to
further
their
education
during
the
COVID-19
pandemic.
“As we
develop
a
comprehensive
plan for
the safe
and
equitable
reopening
of
schools
in the
fall, it
remains
critical
that we
equip
all
students
with the
necessary
technology
so they
can
participate
in any
online
learning
provided
by their
district,”
said
Governor
Gretchen
Whitmer.
“Successfully
bridging
the
digital
divide
is going
to take
tremendous
collaboration
between
government,
communities
and
businesses,
like
Comcast,
who
deeply
care
about
the
future
of our
children.
We
appreciate
Comcast’s
continued
commitment
to this
very
important
cause.”
The
company
also
announced
it will
continue
to
provide
60 days
of free
Internet
service
to new,
eligible
Internet
Essentials
customers
to help
provide
additional
support
to
students
and
families.
Originally
set to
expire
on June
30, the
free
offer
will now
be
available
through
the end
of this
year. In
addition,
Comcast
will
continue
to
waive,
through
the end
of the
year,
the
requirement
that
customers
not have
a past
due
balance
with
Comcast
to
qualify
for the
free
offer.
Since
2011,
Internet
Essentials
has
connected
more
than two
million
economically
disadvantaged
families
to the
Internet,
serving
approximately
eight
million
people.
During
that
period,
the
program
has
grown
from
focusing
on
bridging
the
“homework
gap” for
school-age
children
to being
deeply
invested
in
providing
digital
equity.
The
program,
which
offers
low-cost,
high-speed
Internet
service
for
$9.95 a
month
plus
tax,
also
provides
multiple
options
to
access
free
digital
skills
training
in
print,
online,
and in
person.
In
addition,
customers
have the
option
to
purchase
a
low-cost
Internet-ready
computer.
Today’s
announcement
follows
a series
of
initiatives
Comcast
has
undertaken
over the
past
decade
to help
bridge
the
digital
divide.
In 2019
alone
the
company
invested
$3.6
million
in cash
and
in-kind
contributions
across
the
state of
which
hundreds
of
thousands
of
dollars
helped
connect
Michiganders
to the
internet.
“Connecting
students
and
families
to the
internet
is a
longtime
priority
for our
company,”
said Tim
Collins,
senior
vice
president
of
Comcast
in
Michigan.
“From
numerous
donations
of
laptops
to
students,
seniors
and
veterans
to
providing
hundreds
of
thousands
of
dollars
in
grants
to
nonprofits
across
the
state
which
share
our
mission,
we
remain
committed
to
empowering
our
customers
and
enriching
our
communities
with
technology.”
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