Denver Mayor Hancock and The Women's Foundation of Colorado Join Comcast to Help Bridge the Digital Divide

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and The Women’s Foundation of Colorado joined Comcast at separate events today to announce the largest expansion ever of Internet Essentials in Colorado. The program, which is the nation’s largest, most comprehensive, and most successful low-income broadband adoption initiative, will now double the number of eligible low-income households across the state, including those with people with disabilities and seniors.

Earlier this month, Comcast announced the most significant change to Internet Essentials in the program’s history. The Company estimates a total of nearly seven million households nationwide now have access to low-cost Internet service, which doubles the total number of previously eligible households. Since 2011, more than 300,000 residents across the state of Colorado, including more than 80,000 low-income people across Denver, Aurora, and Lakewood, have been connected to the program.

“This expansion is the culmination of an audacious goal we set eight years ago, which was to meaningfully and significantly close the digital divide for low-income Americans,” said David L. Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast NBCUniversal. “Whether the Internet is used for students to do their homework, adults to look for and apply for new jobs, seniors to keep in touch with friends and family, or veterans to access their well-deserved benefits, it is absolutely essential to success in our modern, digital age.”

The first event held today was a luncheon co-hosted by The Women’s Foundation of Colorado (WFCO), during which national leaders highlighted the work being done in our communities to bridge the divides in both digital access and gender equality. Comcast’s Cohen, and 2018 USA Women’s Hockey Olympic Gold-Medalists, Jocelyn Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando, who serve as national spokespeople for Internet Essentials, both pledged their support for equal pay for professional women athletes and digital inclusion. The Lamoureux twins also spoke about their fight with USA Hockey for better pay and more equal treatment.

“We’re proud to be partnering with Comcast to help close the digital divide here in Colorado,” added the Lamoureux twins. “It’s crucial that we help all low-income Americans gain an Internet connection at home, especially to provide access for women and their families, so everyone has a fair playing field on which to compete in sports and in life.”