As part of its ongoing commitment to help connect low-income families to the Internet so they can fully participate in educational opportunities and the digital economy, Comcast today announced it has equipped 28 nonprofits across Massachusetts – 18 in Boston alone – with WiFi-connected “Lift Zones”. The free WiFi coverage provided by Comcast at these community centers is expected to help hundreds of low-income students get online and do their school work.
Current Boston-area Lift Zone locations include:
- 18 Boston Center for Youth & Families (BCYF) locations in Allston, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Roslindale, Roxbury and South Boston
- Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence
- Boys & Girls Club of Lower Merrimack Valley (Amesbury/Salisbury)
- Boys & Girls Club of Metro South (Brockton)
- Boys & Girls Club of New Bedford/Onset
- Boys & Girls Club of Taunton
- For Kids Only – Everett
- For Kids Only – Revere
- Girls Inc. – Taunton
“We’re grateful for Comcast’s Lift Zones at several of our Club locations, which help us provide a dynamic after-school learning environment by keeping students connected with super-charged WiFi,” said Jennifer Aldworth, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs. “Lift Zones enhance learning opportunities, help our youth explore careers and hone their skills academically and technically, as they prepare for a bright future.”
Lift Zone sites complement Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which, since 2011, has now connected a cumulative total of more than 10 million people in America to broadband Internet at home, including approximately 388,000 people in Massachusetts. Dozens of additional Boston area Lift Zones are currently under consideration, with the goal to have them installed by the end of the year.
Today’s announcement also comes on the heels of Comcast’s recent $1 billion commitment over the next 10 years to help further close the digital divide and give even more low-income students and families the tools and resources they need to succeed in a digital world.
“The pandemic has put many low-income families at risk of being left behind, and we’re proud to work with community partners to support them with Internet adoption and digital equity programs like this one,” said Trevor Arp, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Greater Boston Region. “We hope these Lift Zones help families stay connected to vital resources.”