Spectrum announced the Long Beach Gray Panthers has received a $25,000 Spectrum Digital Education Grant for digital literacy education for older adults and seniors, as part of the company’s multi-year, $6 million commitment to digital education in Spectrum communities across the country. The company doubled its original 2020 commitment to digital education, awarding a total of $1 million to 47 organizations providing broadband education, technology and training.
“We thank the Long Beach Gray Panthers for being instrumental in helping us provide support for digital education in the Long Beach community,” Rahman Khan, vice president of community impact for Charter Communications, Inc., which operates the Spectrum brand of TV, internet, voice and mobile products said. “Through the Long Beach Gray Panthers we can continue to provide those in need with the resources to navigate the challenges of the digital age.”
Spectrum presented the $25,000 grant to the organization during a virtual monthly meeting held on March 6.
The Long Beach Gray Panthers, a nonprofit organization based in Long Beach, educates and advocates for seniors looking at equity and social justice for the provision of resources and education for older adult issues. The funding will support the new computer lab at the main Long Beach Senior Center that will provide digital literacy education for seniors.
“The Long Beach Gray Panthers would like to thank Spectrum for awarding us the Spectrum Digital Education grant,” Myron Wollin, president, Long Beach Gray Panthers said. “Through this funding opportunity, we will be able to provide access to technology for older adults via implementation of technology training at the Long Beach Senior Center in the newly installed computer lab. In addition, we will pilot technology training at a community low-income senior building to be delivered by adjunct and tenured professors from Long Beach City College. These will include workforce training skills, Zoom, telehealth, community engagement visits, and remote bill paying and finance management. Now more than ever, the need to connect with others is important and we are grateful for the support of Spectrum.”
“I want to congratulate the Long Beach Gray Panthers on being awarded the Spectrum Digital Education Grant,” Long Beach councilmember Mary Zendejas said. “This will help the Gray Panthers continue to make our community more connected through their wonderful work with not only our seniors but with everyone they come in contact with. This is such a wonderful opportunity for the Gray Panthers and Long Beach as a whole. Thank you to Spectrum for their support of the Gray Panthers’ great work in our community and helping to bridge the digital divide.”
With this year’s grants, Spectrum has surpassed its multiyear commitment to award $6 million in cash and in-kind donations to support broadband education across the company’s 41-state service area. This year’s recipients are from 15 states and Washington, D.C., and were chosen from 259 eligible applications. Recipients include nonprofits working to empower disadvantaged residents in towns and cities, boost small businesses in rural areas, provide computer assistance to senior citizens, and organizations that meet educational needs for children — including those experiencing homelessness and remote learning challenges. Since its inception in 2017 through July 2020, Spectrum Digital Education has benefitted more than 41,000 individuals in 17 states and Washington, D.C.
