Grants and Equipment Will Provide Veterans in
Nine Western Pennsylvania Counties Resources to Access the
Internet, Secure Safe and Affordable Housing, and Obtain Skills for
Sustainable Careers
PITTSBURGH, Nov. 15,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of
National Veterans & Military Families Month, Comcast today
announced it has awarded $75,000 in
grants and 100 laptops to Veterans Leadership Program (VLP), a
non-profit that assists veterans with housing, career development,
wellness and supportive services. This announcement is part
of Project UP, Comcast's 10-year, $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.
In addition to providing laptops directly to vulnerable veterans
they serve in western Pennsylvania, the organization will use the
grants and laptops to create a mobile computer bank to assist
service coordinators who work with veterans living in shelters,
uninhabitable conditions or are street homeless and a rural
computer bank to enable coordinators to reach areas where veterans
have the greatest need. These computer banks will allow VLP to meet
with veterans in Allegheny,
Blair, Cambria, Centre, Elk,
Fulton, Huntingdon, Jefferson and Somerset Counties, eliminating transportation
barriers to complete intakes, provide referrals, help with housing
searches and work together to complete job applications and other
emergency assistance needs.
The laptops were presented to local veterans by Comcast's Senior
Vice President of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Carol Eggert, and members of Comcast's local
Veterans Network Employee Resource Group. "We're proud to partner
with military community-serving organizations that are meeting the
needs of veterans, servicemembers and military families," said
Eggert. "Veterans Leadership Program is an important partner
working to close the digital divide for western Pennsylvania veterans and their families."
"Comcast and VLP's work to close the digital divide for local
veterans is important to the men and women who have served our
country," said County Executive Rich
Fitzgerald "The more we can do to remove barriers for
people seeking training, employment, healthcare benefits and other
resources they need to improve their lives, the better. We want all
of our veterans to be able to connect and thank Comcast and VLP for
recognizing this critical need."
All veterans served by VLP are eligible for Comcast's Internet
Essentials, the nation's largest and most comprehensive broadband
adoption program. Since its inception in 2011, Comcast's Internet
Essentials has connected more than 10 million low-income Americans
to low-cost, high-speed Internet at home, with more than 225,200 of
those individuals, including veterans, residing in the counties VLP
serves.
Additionally, VLP clients may be eligible for the federal
government's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides
eligible low-income households with a credit up to $30 per month toward their Internet and/or mobile
service. Thanks to ACP, eligible Comcast customers can get home
Internet through Comcast's Internet Essentials or Internet
Essentials Plus at no cost once the federal credit is applied.
Internet Essentials customers can also add a line of unlimited 5G
cellular data ($45) through Xfinity
Mobile for as little as $24.95/month
after the ACP benefit is applied.
"There are more than 17,000 veterans in our service area living
below the federal poverty threshold," said Ben Stahl, D.Sc., Chief Executive Officer of
Veterans Leadership Program. "We're proud to partner with Comcast
to provide computer and Internet access to veterans so they can
apply for jobs, housing and assistance that will help them
succeed."
Comcast's 10-year-long partnership with VLP has included
additional grants and laptop donations; installing a WiFi-connected
Lift Zone at VLP's Pittsburgh
location, which provides free, high-speed WiFi to community
members; and hosting Comcast Newsmakers segments. Since 2015, more
than 19,400 veterans, National Guard and reserve service members,
and military spouses have been hired by Comcast with 8,299 members
in the Veterans Employee Resource Group. Since 2011, Comcast has
donated $197.5 million in cash and
in-kind giving to military community serving organizations, while
NBC has dedicated $9.5 million
in-kind PSA time to military community serving organizations. In
addition, 93 veteran-owned businesses are part of Comcast's
Supplier Diversity Program.
In addition to Internet Essentials and Lift Zones, Comcast's
Project UP includes Comcast RISE, a multi-year national initiative
that supports small businesses owned by women or people of color in
response to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since
2021, Comcast RISE has awarded more than 30 small businesses in the
region technology and marketing grants and recently awarded
$1 million in investment grants to
Allegheny County businesses. For
additional information on Project UP and our digital equity
initiatives, visit
https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up.
About Internet
Essentials
In 2011, Comcast launched Internet Essentials, the nation's
largest and most successful private-sector low-income broadband
adoption program; since launch it has connected over 10 million
people to the Internet at home, most for the very first time. It
recently launched Internet Essentials Plus, a service that includes
high-speed Internet, a cable modem, access to millions of WiFi
hotspots, and unlimited data for $29.95 per month. Any Xfinity customer across all
Comcast's markets who qualifies for the Affordable Connectivity
Program (ACP) can apply their $30
credit toward their monthly Internet and/or Xfinity Mobile bill.
Customers can visit http://www.xfinity.com/acp or call 844-389-4681
for more information, to determine eligibility, and sign up. A
dedicated ACP Enrollment and Support Center is available from
8AM to 12AM daily, with multi-lingual
capabilities to assist anyone interested in the program.
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 connectivity, aggregation, and streaming
with 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.
About Veterans Leadership
Program
Veterans Leadership Program (VLP) is Pennsylvania's premier Veteran-centric 501(c)3
organization providing essential services to Veterans and their
families. VLP is a Joint Commission accredited Behavioral
Health Organization as well as a Standards of Excellence bearing
member of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit
Organizations. Since 1982, VLP has operated with a focus on
empowering Veterans to navigate the transitions of life. VLP
currently operates nine housing programs ranging from
emergency shelter, bridge housing, rapid rehousing, to
permanent supportive housing; two career development programs to
assist Veterans who are un/underemployed with job placement
opportunities; and five supportive service programs that provide
emergency financial assistance, benefits assistance, a Women
Veterans program, Veterans Court justice program, and a wellness
program that assists Veterans in combating substance abuse and Post
Traumatic Stress. In 2021, VLP empowered 7,278 with essential
services throughout 30 counties in Western and Central
Pennsylvania. VLP proudly serves all who have served,
regardless of their Veterans Administration (VA) eligibility,
discharge status, or their length of service. For the past 40
years, VLP has provided necessary support to local Veterans who are
facing challenging transitions to reach their fullest
potential.
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