Comcast and One Economy Celebrate Comcast Digital Connectors Program at Mi Casa Resource Center

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast and One Economy today celebrated the initial success of a major technology learning and service initiative that teaches young people about broadband technologies and how to put that knowledge to work to serve the Denver community. The program, Comcast Digital Connectors, was first launched during the 2009-2010 school year at Mi Casa Resource Center in Denver and the next class will begin this fall and run throughout the academic year.

“This partnership will help us further tap into the great potential of young people and ensure that our youth have the resources and tools they need to develop, grow and lead in a digital economy.”

In the Comcast Digital Connectors program, Denver-area high school students from diverse and low-income backgrounds gather at Mi Casa two evenings a week throughout the year to learn digital literacy skills. The young people volunteer their time at community-based organizations and even in their own homes to help improve digital literacy in Denver. Additionally, Comcast employees provide students with opportunities to learn more about future career choices through company informational tours that allow students to directly interact with individuals currently working in the broadband industry.

“Our next generation needs the technological skills and knowledge not only to compete for jobs globally, but also to strengthen our communities through service locally,” said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. “Programs like this one that Comcast and One Economy are partnering to advance help provide young Coloradans with the tools to do both.”

“The Digital Connectors program is both an exciting and extremely important initiative for Comcast and the Comcast Foundation. Developing digital literacy skills in young people is essential to their future and to the future of the nation’s workforce,” said David L. Cohen, Executive Vice President, Comcast Corporation. “Along with digital education, these young people from diverse, low-income communities experience a unique opportunity to improve their lives and the lives of others by cultivating leadership skills, impacting their neighborhoods through community service and preparing for their bright futures.”

As the nation’s largest residential Internet service provider, Comcast is contributing to One Economy’s mission to maximize the potential of technology in cities and towns across the country. Comcast’s commitment to the Digital Connectors initiative, developed in 2001, will also help One Economy increase the number of youth who will benefit from the program. To date, nearly 3,000 young people have contributed more than 77,000 hours of community service through the Digital Connectors initiative. The One Economy-Comcast partnership aims to double the number of participants in the program and the hours of service they contribute to their communities.

“The Comcast Digital Connectors program is a great opportunity for young people in our Denver community and we are thrilled to have Mi Casa Resource Center as our partner in this program,” said Scott Binder, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Mile High Region. “This program teaches the students the technology skills needed to advance in education and in the workforce and instill the importance of passing on that knowledge to their neighbors, friends and family in order to improve their lives and community.”

The curriculum for Comcast Digital Connectors covers several broad areas to help the program participants learn real-world applications for broadband technology. Modules include leadership principles, real world learning opportunities, digital technology skills development, community service, financial literacy and civic journalism. The students learned how to network computer labs, connect wireless access points and create video documentaries. Additionally, they are given instruction in entrepreneurship, healthy living, career and character development. The program also includes creative media projects intended to inspire the Digital Connectors to put broadband and Internet technology to their greatest use.

Through grants from the Comcast Foundation totaling more than $50,000, Mi Casa was able to upgrade their computer lab at its facility in Denver, as well as fund the Comcast Digital Connectors program costs to ensure students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology as to develop their digital literacy skills. The new computers also have benefited Mi Casa clients of all ages that are on site regularly for other career and educational programs offered by the organization.

“Mi Casa is very grateful to have been given the opportunity to offer the Digital Connectors Program to students from multiple high schools and colleges in our community,” said Christine Marquez-Hudson, Executive Director for Mi Casa. “Due to the generosity of Comcast and its partner, One Economy, youth at Mi Casa have been given the chance to develop valuable career, leadership, and citizenship skills through the effective use of technology. The Digital Connectors Program has provided us the essential tools and resources to better teach our young people how the positive uses of technology can improve the quality of their lives and the communities in which they live.”

“Comcast has been an invaluable partner to One Economy and our mission to empower underserved communities through the use of technology,” said Rey Ramsey, Founder and Chairman of the Board of One Economy. “This partnership will help us further tap into the great potential of young people and ensure that our youth have the resources and tools they need to develop, grow and lead in a digital economy.”

In addition to Denver, the Comcast Digital Connectors program has launched in Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Georgia; Tacoma, Washington; Modesto, California; Houston, Texas; Springfield, Massachusetts; Morgantown, West Virginia; Burlington, Vermont; Dearborn, Michigan; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2 sites); Lauderhill, Tallahassee, Miami and West Palm Beach, Florida.

Comcast powers dreams in the communities it serves by providing access to innovative technology, volunteering time, giving financial support and partnering with organizations to make communities stronger. The company focuses its community investment initiatives on building tomorrow’s leaders, promoting community service and expanding digital literacy. Since 2001, Comcast have provided $1.8 billion in cash and in-kind support to national and local non-profit organizations in 39 states and Washington D.C. The company has made a $1.2 million commitment to sponsor the Digital Connectors program for three years, beginning in 2009.

About the Comcast Foundation

The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified non-profit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities. The Foundation has three community investment priorities – promoting community service, expanding digital literacy, and building tomorrow’s leaders. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated more than $77 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/community.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.2 million cable customers, 16.4 million high-speed Internet customers, and 8.1 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, 11 regional sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, which owns two professional sports teams, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, and a large, multipurpose arena in Philadelphia, the Wells Fargo Center, and, through Global Spectrum, manages other facilities for sporting events, concerts and other events.

About One Economy and the Digital Connectors

One Economy is a global nonprofit organization that uses innovative approaches to deliver the power of technology and information to low-income people. More than 17 million people have used One Economy's online tools and resources, including the Public Internet Channel (www.pic.tv), to build better lives. One Economy has launched on-the-ground programs in 42 U.S. states, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The Digital Connectors program is One Economy’s flagship initiative that delivers 21^st century technology training to young people from low-income backgrounds, who then share what they learn within their own communities. To date, more than 3,000 Digital Connectors have delivered more than 77,000 hours of technology focused community service. Learn more at www.one-economy.com.

About Mi Casa Resource Center

Mi Casa Resource Center is among the oldest and largest Latino-serving organizations in Colorado. Mi Casa was founded in 1976 by eight Head Start mothers in west Denver who understood that education and employment were essential for women to achieve personal and economic success. Mi Casa was established to create new opportunities for women and their children to succeed. For more than 30 years, Mi Casa has been committed to advancing the economic success of Latino and low-income families through business, career, and youth and family development strategies. For more information, please visit our website www.MiCasaResourceCenter.org.