Charter Communications, Inc. on Sept. 2 announced the recipients of its 2021 Spectrum Digital Education grants, awarding a total of $1 million to 49 nonprofits in 16 states and Washington, D.C. as part of the company’s five-year, $7 million commitment to support digital literacy in communities across its 41-state footprint.
Grant recipients will use the funds for broadband technology programs and training, particularly in financially underserved rural and urban communities within Charter’s service area.
“As one of the nation’s largest internet service providers, Charter is committed to supporting programs that promote digital literacy in the communities we serve,” commented Rahman Khan, Vice President of Community Impact for Charter, which operates the Spectrum brand of internet, TV, mobile and voice services.
Khan added, “The organizations supported by this year’s grants are doing important work, such as developing technology programs to help families achieve financial stability and economic self-sufficiency, and teaching senior citizens how to use broadband to better connect with family. Through our partnerships with these nonprofits, we are giving people tools and resources to help them succeed and live fuller lives in today’s digital society."
Charter launched Spectrum Digital Education in 2017, recognizing that education and digital literacy are as important as affordability relative to a household’s lack of broadband service. Recent data from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, as cited by Charter, shows the importance of these efforts: When asked the main reason for not being online, over 60% of offline U.S. households cited “don’t need or not interested” as the reason versus under 19% that cited concerns about expense.
To date, Charter has awarded $7 million in Spectrum Digital Education grants and in-kind contributions to nonprofit organizations reaching nearly 70,000 people in 20 states and Washington, D.C. The list of this year’s non-profit grant recipients includes:
CALIFORNIA
- Building Skills Partnership, Los Angeles
- Community Tech Network, San Francisco
- East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center, West Covina
- Great Harvest Community Center, San Bernardino
- Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services, Watsonville
- Loaves Fishes & Computers, Inc., Salinas
- Plaza Comunitaria Sinaloa, Mission Hills
- Resource for Education Advocacy Communication and Housing, Santa Fe Springs
FLORIDA
- Seniors In Service of Tampa Bay, Inc., Tampa
GEORGIA
- Georgia Extension 4-H Foundation, Inc., Athens
HAWAII
- Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council, Hilo
- Hawaii State Rural Health Association, Hilo
KENTUCKY
- Louisville Metro Housing Authority Development Corp.
- Louisville Urban League
MASSACHUSETTS
- Elder Services of Worcester Area, Inc., Worcester
- MAB Community Services, Inc., Brookline
MISSOURI
- Goodwill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas, Kansas City
- St. Louis Arc, Inc., St. Louis
- The LaunchCode Foundation, St. Louis
- Urban League of Greater Kansas City
MONTANA
- Code Girls United, Kalispell
NEW YORK
- First Corinthian Baptist Community Development Corporation, New York
- Hispanic Federation, Inc., New York
- Interfaith Works of Central New York, Inc., Syracuse
- Northern Manhattan Improvement Corp., New York
- The Service Collaborative of WNY, Inc., Buffalo
- The YWCA of Brooklyn, Inc., Brooklyn
- Westcott Community Center, Inc., Syracuse
NORTH CAROLINA
- Adult Center for Enrichment, Inc., Greensboro
- E2D, Inc., Davidson
- HUBZone Technology Initiative, Inc., Henderson
- INTech Camp for Girls, Charlotte
- Kramden Institute, Inc., Durham
OHIO
- Ashbury Community Services, Inc., Cleveland
- Central Community House of Columbus, Inc., Columbus
- Collinwood and Nottingham Village Development Corporation, Cleveland
- Homeless Hands of Zanesville
- Goodwill Industries of Central Ohio, Inc., Columbus
- Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio, Cincinnati
SOUTH CAROLINA
- Communities In Schools of South Carolina, N. Charleston
- Palmetto Care Connections, Bamberg
TENNESSEE
- Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee, Knoxville
VIRGINIA
- LGBT Technology Institute, Staunton
WASHINGTON, D.C.
- EveryoneOn
- LULAC National Educational Service Centers, Inc.
- OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates
WISCONSIN
- Digital Bridge, Inc., Milwaukee
- YWCA Southeast Wisconsin, Milwaukee
WYOMING
- Wyoming State Museum Volunteers, Inc., Cheyenne
Charter notes it sponsors several philanthropic programs in addition to Spectrum Digital Education, including Spectrum Scholars, a scholarship for under-represented college juniors in financial need; Spectrum Employee Community Grants, which supports Charter employees’ local volunteer activities; and the Spectrum Community Investment Loan Fund, which supports small and minority-owned businesses whose goods and services help meet core needs in financially underserved communities within the company’s footprint.
More information about Charter’s philanthropic initiatives is available here.