Press Release Courtesy of Charter Communications
MAYOR JANE CASTOR JOINS SPECTRUM TO PRESENT $25,000 SPECTRUM DIGITAL EDUCATION GRANT TO COMPUTER MENTORS
TAMPA, Fla. – January 14, 2021 – Spectrum will join Tampa Mayor Jane Castor at an event on Friday, January 15 at 8:30 a.m. to present Computer Mentors Group with a $25,000 Spectrum Digital Education Grant to help bridge the digital divide for senior citizens. The grant is part of Spectrum’s multiyear, $6 million cash and in-kind national commitment to digital education in Spectrum communities across the country.
“We thank Computer Mentors for being instrumental in helping us provide support for digital education in the Tampa community,” said Rahman Khan, Vice President of Community Impact for Charter Communications, Inc., which operates the Spectrum brand of TV, Internet, Voice and Mobile products. “Through Computer Mentors we can continue to provide those in need with the resources to navigate the challenges of the digital age.”
Recipients of this year’s Spectrum Digital Education grant range from long-standing nonprofits that continue to make a difference in local communities, to newer organizations meeting educational needs for children, including those experiencing homelessness and remote learning challenges.
“We are so happy to be receiving this grant from Spectrum. It will allow us to help seniors who are acting as foster parents to child relatives, connecting them virtually to social networks like church and training them to provide e-learning support to the children in their care. Grants like this play a huge role in our nonprofit organization being able to support our local community and bridge the digital divide,” said Ralph Smith, Director, Computer Mentors.
The Computer Mentors mission is to provide opportunities for educational employment success through bridging the technology divide for populations without sufficient economic resources. This grant will specifically support senior citizens who are primary caretakers for children in their families, bringing technology into their homes for e-learning and providing training on tools including, email, video conferencing, document managment, key learning applications and more to help them become better educators for their children.
“This partnership is extremely encouraging,” said City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor. “Charter Communications is providing critical technology at a challenging time, and Computer Mentors is putting these tools to their best use: connecting families and seniors in a meaningful way. I commend Charter for playing an important role in bridging the digital divide in Tampa Bay.”
Spectrum Digital Education aims to help local community members across Charter’s 41-state service area to improve their lives through digital education. Since launching the program in 2017, Charter has committed to award $6 million in cash grants and in-kind commitments, including PSAs and technical assistance, to support broadband education, training and technology. Spectrum Digital Education has benefitted more than 56,000 individuals in 17 states and Washington, DC . Spectrum Digital Education is one of several philanthropic programs developed by Charter to support the communities in which Charter provides service and where its employees both live and work.
Charter’s Spectrum Employee Community Grants program, launched in 2019 to support employees’ volunteer activities at local social and human services organizations, has already impacted 225 critical services organizations across 30 states.
In 2020, Charter announced the launch of the Spectrum Community Investment Loan Fund, which will invest $10 million in capital by the end of 2021, making loans up to $1 million to community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in the company’s footprint. In June, Charter announced additional investment partnerships with the National Urban League and National Action Network to support Black and other minority-owned small businesses. The addition of those partnerships increased Charter’s Loan Fund commitment to $13 million.
Finally, in spring 2020, Charter introduced Spectrum Scholars, a two-year educational program for eligible rising juniors in financial need, that will award a total of $400,000 in scholarship aid, provide company mentors for students, as well as connecting them with potential internship opportunities at Charter.
About Spectrum
Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 30 million customers in 41 states. Over an advanced communications network, the company offers a full range of state-of-the-art residential and business services including Spectrum Internet®, TV, Mobile and Voice.
For small and medium-sized companies, Spectrum Business® delivers the same suite of broadband products and services coupled with special features and applications to enhance productivity, while for larger businesses and government entities, Spectrum Enterprise provides highly customized, fiber-based solutions. Spectrum Reach®delivers tailored advertising and production for the modern media landscape. The company also distributes award-winning news coverage, sports and high-quality original programming to its customers through Spectrum Networks and Spectrum Originals. More information about Charter can be found at corporate.charter.com.
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