Comcast has installed free Wi-Fi in its 1,000th Lift Zone with The Sanneh Foundation in St. Paul and plans to mark the occasion with a $50,000 grant to help further support the organization, whose mission is to empower youth by supporting and promoting educational attainment and providing programs that strengthen physical health and social and emotional development .
The Sanneh Foundation’s Conway Center was the first Lift Zone opened in the Twin Cities in September 2020 and was being utilized by up to 150 students per day, with supervised online schooling and learning support. Comcast also brought Wi-Fi to the Center’s outdoor athletic dome so it could be used for an online learning facility as well. In early 2021, the Conway Center was damaged by arson, causing the center to close for four-weeks. The Sanneh Foundation had to quickly shift operations to a new location to host scheduled free youth sports camps and food distribution for those in need. Comcast swiftly moved in to bring service to the organization’s new location, making it fully operational.
“I commend Comcast for the positive impact they’ve made in the Twin Cities community with Lift Zones and Internet Essentials,” said Tony Sanneh, founder and CEO, The Sanneh Foundation. “The need for connectivity has never been greater and both programs have been extremely beneficial to our families through our partnership with Comcast.”
Lift Zones provide a robust Wi-Fi solution in safe spaces, like nonprofits, community centers, gyms, parks and recreation facilities and small businesses. Since its inception in 2020, Comcast has installed 118 Lift Zones in the Twin Cities Region including:
- Family Means in Landfall
- Boys and Girls Club in Minneapolis
- Perspectives Family Center in St. Louis Park
- Jimmy Lee Rec Center in St. Paul
“So much of life and work happens online,” said Kalyn Hove, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Twin Cities Region. “Together with our nonprofit partners, like The Sanneh Foundation, we have built safe spaces for students and families to connect to the Internet.”