Comcast will equip 8 low-income-serving community centers in New Castle County with free Wi-Fi

Last September, Comcast announced that it would launch more than 1,000 WiFi-connected “Lift Zones” in community centers nationwide in order to increase internet access to low-income families, allowing more participation in virtual education opportunities and the digital economy.

This week, Comcast — which opened a state-of-the-art call center in Christiana Corporate Center in Newark in 2019 — announced the eight sites in New Castle County, Delaware that will be connected with free Wi-Fi:

• Greater Newark Boys & Girls Club (Newark)
• Clarence Fraim Boys & Girls Club (Wilmington)
• Latin American Community Center (Wilmington)
• Kingswood Community Center (Wilmington)
• Police Athletic League of Wilmington (Wilmington)
• Walnut Street YMCA (Wilmington)
• Bellevue Community Center (Wilmington)
• West End Neighborhood House (Wilmington)

“It is more important than ever for local families to be able to get support and access to critical resources like the internet at our center,” said Logan Herring, CEO of Kingswood Community Center, REACH Riverside and The Warehouse, in a statement. “We are thankful to be part of Comcast’s Lift Zone program so that we can provide the WiFi coverage needed for students to continue their education online.”

A mural at Kingswood Community Center. (Courtesy photo)

In addition to hotspot connectivity, Comcast and its network of nonprofit partners, will also provide access to hundreds of hours of digital skills content to help families and site coordinators navigate online learning. The Lift Zone program is a broadening of Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which provides residential, low-cost, high-speed internet to residents who qualify for programs such as SNAP.

“The Lift Zone at our facility will help our virtual learning program students stay connected and engaged with their instructors and classmates throughout the day with no interruptions,” said Christopher Purnell, executive director of Police Athletic League of Wilmington. “It is an innovative solution for our students, families, and center, and will help us continue to build brighter futures together in our community.”

This past February, Comcast also doubled the download speed of its Internet Essentials offering to 50 mbps. The move came amid ongoing digital equity initiatives such as the launch of the Lift Zones program — and calls for the corporate giant to do more.