Local Youth Gain Digital Media Skills through Comcast Foundation Grant

Erie Neighborhood House received a $10,000 grant renewal from the Comcast Foundation to support the organization’s Visionaries digital media apprenticeship initiative for teenage youth. The grant will support Erie House in its technology training and provide the funding to purchase a new computer and other technology equipment needed to implement the program.

Now in its tenth year, Visionaries engages students in at least 80 hours of hands-on instruction and skill-building in photography, film production and graphic design each semester.

The initiative is part of the Youth Options Unlimited program at Erie House and is designed to help students build a strong foundation in the digital arts. But according to digital media coordinator and Visionaries instructor Jesus Gonzalez Flores, the students are also gaining life skills in the process.

“With perspective and exposure develops a conversation that enables students to voice their observations,” said Gonzalez Flores. “And in return this creates listening skills, teamwork, creative problem-solving and, ultimately, critical thinking.”

“Comcast is proud to partner with Erie Neighborhood House once again to provide local youth access to technology and training that will help them develop skills they need to succeed in school and also later in the workforce,” said Debra Marton, Comcast’s regional senior manager of Community Investment.

“Comcast is proud to partner with Erie Neighborhood House once again to provide local youth access to technology and training that will help them develop skills they need to succeed in school and also later in the workforce.”

– Debra Marton, Comcast Regional Senior Manager of Community Investment

In addition to its grant support for Visionaries, Comcast NBCUniversal supports the agency in many other ways. Erie House regularly serves as a Comcast Cares Day volunteer site that engages Comcast NBCUniversal employees in a day of community service. Comcast also provides access to low-cost, high-speed internet for eligible low-income households in the Erie House community through its Internet Essentials program. Additionally, the company provided a grant last year that significantly upgraded the organization’s West Town technology lab.

“The partnership we enjoy with Comcast NBCUniversal benefits our entire community,” said Kirstin Chernawsky, executive director at Erie House. “Visionaries is a highly successful program that is equipping our youth with skills and ever-expanding college and career possibilities.”

For more information on Visionaries and the Youth Options Unlimited program at Erie House, please visit www.eriehouse.org.

About the Comcast Foundation

The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified non-profit organizations. The Foundation’s primary mission is to empower communities to thrive by providing access to technology, relevant digital skills and training, and inspiring volunteerism, service and leadership. The Foundation invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on the communities we serve. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated $220 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about how Comcast supports the communities it serves available at www.comcast.com/community.