as a company<\/a>, Comcast is going to do everything in its power to \u201ctry to connect people to the internet regardless of the zip code where they live, or income level of their parents, or the color of their skin.\u201d Basically, Internet Essentials can help open doors for those who might not have a chance otherwise.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
He shared a few stories about the difference Internet Essentials has made. Some had to take their kids to McDonald\u2019s after dinner to use the Wi-Fi for homework. A gifted student traveled two hours by bus, each way, just to get one hour of internet service for her schooling (which was 100% online). Two sisters who immigrated from Latin America were completely computer and internet illiterate but were now communicating with their family via Skype. One family had no computer but the son\u2019s homework was all online. He would have to wait for hours at the computer lab to use a computer but, thanks to this program, his \u201cBig Brother\u201d was able to get him a free computer and six months of internet. Another woman got the computer for her kids to do homework but ended up taking online classes and is now a counselor. He concluded with, \u201cThe numbers blow you away but the real story is the impact this program has on real families, on real people, in transforming their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Jackie Joyner Kersee, six-time Olympic medalist, talked about the work she\u2019s involved in at the community center in her hometown. She understands the meaning of opportunity and, \u201cwithout opportunity, there is no hope.\u201d It offers a place for kids to do homework or to get something to eat, to help people fill out applications, research, or look for jobs online. So, she sees the benefit of Internet Essentials firsthand and this is the main reason she signed on as a spokesperson for a second year. Kersee pointed out that our society is moving very quickly. When looking for entry-level jobs or other things, \u201cif the generation after her does not have [internet] access, then they\u2019re going to be left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Adamari L\u00f3pez, host of Telemundo\u2019s Un Nuevo D\u00eda, mentioned fear as a huge obstacle. Fear prevents many Hispanic families from signing up for Internet Essentials. When hearing about internet in their homes, she said, \u201cThey think that the government will be behind the computer, spying on them.\u201d Since many are undocumented, they are afraid that if they give their personal information, \u201cthey are going to be exposed.\u201d That, however, is not the case. Not only can they safely get online but they can do so at a price they can afford each month.<\/p>\n
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Too Good To Be True?<\/h3>\n Does this sound too good to be true? It might appear that way. But, I assure you, this is a legit program. Internet Essentials from Comcast provides affordable high-speed internet with no strings attached. So, help me spread the word about this fabulous program. Let’s connect more low-income children, adults, and seniors to the internet, thus equipping them to successfully face today\u2019s ever-increasing digital world. Get more information and sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\nI was compensated by Comcast to attend this event and to write about my experience. All opinions are my own.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The internet connects us all and allows for an innumerable amount of opportunities. I didn\u2019t realize the full impact of this…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":58604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
What is Internet Essentials & Why It Matters to Low-Income Households<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n