New Comcast Lift Zone Provides Senior Citizens in Washington, D.C. with Free Wi-Fi and Digital Literacy Training

As part of our ongoing effort to advance digital equity and connect more families to the Internet, Comcast opened a new Lift Zone in Southeast D.C. at Iona Senior Services (3303A Stanton Road SE, Washington, D.C. 20020). Iona Senior Services supports over 4,000 older adults in the DMV region, and the new Lift Zone will offer free, high-speed WiFi access to help senior citizens connect to the Internet, gain access to digital literacy skills training and stay in touch with friends and family.

Comcast has opened over 1,000 WiFi-connected “Lift Zones” in community centers across the country – including 40 in the District and more than 100 located throughout our Beltway Region – as part of Project UP, our comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities.

To commemorate the Lift Zone opening, we donated new laptops to Iona Senior Services on behalf of Comcast’s Internet Essentials – the nation’s largest and most comprehensive Internet adoption program – and provided a $10,000 grant to support the organization. We also provided attendees with information on the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible low-income households a credit up to $30/month ($75/month for households on qualifying Tribal lands) toward their Internet and/or mobile service. This can be combined with any tier of Xfinity Internet service including Internet Essentials, which provides eligible customers with home Internet service at no cost after the ACP credit is applied, along with mobile service through Xfinity Mobile.

The grand opening ceremony was joined by local elected officials and community leaders including:

• Joon Bang – CEO, Iona Senior Services
• D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds (Chair, Committee on Housing and Executive Administration)
• Stacy Burnette – Senior Director, Government & Regulatory Affairs, Comcast Beltway Region
• D.C. Councilmember Christina Henderson (At-Large)
• Shawn Mcleod – Board of Directors, Iona Senior Services
• D.C. Councilmember Trayon White (Ward 8)
• Jessica Smith – Interim Director, Department of Aging and Community Living

As part of Project UP, Comcast NBCUniversal has committed $1 billion over the next 10 years to reach tens of millions of people 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. For additional information on Project UP and our other digital equity initiatives, including Internet Essentials, Lift Zones and more, visit https://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up.

To find a Lift Zone near you, please visit https://internetessentials.com/learningsearchpage.