Comcast Provides Free WiFi to 32 San Francisco Community Hubs

As part of its ongoing commitment to help connect low-income individuals to the Internet so they can fully participate in educational opportunities and the digital economy, Comcast today announced it is providing WiFi at more than 30 San Francisco Community Hubs in partnership with the Office of the Mayor of San Francisco and the City of San Francisco Department of Child Youth and Their Families (DCYF).

DCYF and the SF Recreation and Parks Department, in partnership with community-based agencies, other City departments and businesses like Comcast, have implemented the Community Hubs Initiative, a citywide, neighborhood-based strategy to support children, youth and families during the school year. Community Hubs provide support for students in grades K-12 who are utilizing SFUSD’s Distance Learning Curriculum, and prioritize children and youth with high levels of need.

The Community Hubs Initiative in San Francisco offers distance learning and wrap-around services and resources to support students and their families. Comcast is providing free WiFi at 30+ sites, where students can work on laptops simultaneously so they can successfully participate in distance learning. By also donating 800 laptops and 12 months of free Internet at home through its Internet Essentials program, Comcast is creating a seamless learning experience for San Francisco youth.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to put many low-income students at risk of being left behind,” said San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed. “Access to technology and a safe, secure space to learn are essential for children to fully engage in distance learning. Having a laptop and access to the Internet at home are also crucial so students can complete homework and other assignments after school hours. The City of San Francisco is pleased to be partnering with Comcast to provide children with the complete range of support they need to succeed today and into the future.”

“The health crisis challenges us in so many ways and it brings into sharp focus the disparity and inequity that exists for many of our underserved communities,” said Maria Su, Executive Director, Department of Children, Youth and Their Families. “But what the crisis also brings to light is how powerful we are when we come together and unify around a common goal. That is precisely what this Community Hubs initiative is all about. We are grateful to Comcast for joining us on this mission and for being part of a public-private partnership that is delivering truly extraordinary outcomes for our communities.”

“We are proud to partner with the City of San Francisco to power more than 30 Community Hubs in our most vulnerable neighborhoods and to support a full continuum of learning for thousands of San Francisco students,” said John Gauder, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast California. “By providing robust WiFi coverage at safe and secure spaces, Comcast intends to help thousands of low-income students get online, participate in distance learning and do their homework.”

In addition to powering the Community Hub locations through its Comcast “Lift Zones” program, Comcast donated $140,000 to Give2SF to support digital literacy training, food insecurity efforts during the pandemic and holiday season, along with other services being offered at the Community Hubs.

Comcast will also provide 800 youths with a laptop computer and 12 months of Internet at home (for eligible families), through its Internet Essentials program.

The Comcast Lift Zones program complements Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which, since 2011, has helped connect more than 8 million low-income people to the Internet at home. This includes more than one million residents across California, which is the number one state in terms of overall participation in the Internet Essentials program.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’ largest video, high-speed Internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe's leading media and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content through its pay television services. It also provides communications services, including residential high-speed Internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original content, and has exclusive content rights. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

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