Continuing its investment in Dauphin County, Comcast has announced it is awarding the Whitaker Center a $35,000 grant. Through this funding, the Whitaker Center’s “Girls in STEM” initiative will continue to provide skill-building STEM and digital literacy activities for local girls in grades four through 12, including “Girls in STEM Sundays,” summer camps, virtual and in-person Girl Scout Badge workshops, and career exploration days. In addition, the Whitaker Center will offer lessons on coding and digital visual software, ethical use of digital resources, digital communications, and online identity protection.
This grant is part of Project UP, Comcast’s $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.
“We’re proud to support the Whitaker Center and know that with this funding they will successfully educate, empower, and enable more people to achieve their goals,” said Kevin Broadhurst, Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs of Comcast’s Keystone Region, which is based in Pennsylvania.
The Whitaker Center also serves as a Comcast Lift Zone, which provides free WiFi, along with six other Lift Zones in Dauphin County, including Brethren Community Ministries, Boys & Girls Club of Hall Manor, Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg, Harrisburg Area YMCA, Shalom House, and The Journey. Lift Zones also offer access to digital skills training sessions, and complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which provides low-cost, in-home broadband connectivity. In total, Comcast has installed more than 1,250 Lift Zones nationwide, including 176 throughout Pennsylvania.
“On behalf of our staff and all visitors who benefit from the free WiFi and programming offered through the Whitaker Center, we thank Comcast for their generosity and support. Together we are helping to close the digital divide,” said Mary Oliveira, President and CEO, Whitaker Center.
As part of Comcast’s commitment to investing in Dauphin County, Comcast is continuing construction in the area to connect nearly 500 homes and businesses to the Xfinity network. Once the project is complete, residents will have access to the full portfolio of products including Xfinity Internet and Mobile, and businesses will have access to Comcast Business Internet and Mobile.
For additional information on Project UP and Comcast’s digital equity initiatives, visit https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up.
