CLEVELAND — On Friday, Spectrum hosted a digital education panel discussion at the City Club of Cleveland and awarded over $150,000 in grants to local organizations. The recipients of a Spectrum Digital Education Grant are working to bridge the digital divide to those most disconnected in the community.

What You Need To Know

  • The grants are part of Spectrum's six-year, $8 million commitment to promote digital education

  • The company will invest $1 million this year to support digital literacy in underserved rural and urban communities within Spectrum’s 41-state service area

  • Spectrum Digital Education Grants assist organizations providing digital literacy training to those most digitally disconnected

“In our online world, digital skills are critical to navigating everything from finding a job, to going to school, to buying groceries – yet too many families still have not adopted the internet at home,” said Rahman Khan, Group Vice President of Community Impact for Charter Communications, Inc. “As one of the largest internet providers in the U.S., Spectrum is committed to supporting local initiatives that promote digital literacy and inclusion and help educate to community members in Cleveland about the value of adopting broadband in their lives so they can succeed in today’s connected society.”

This year's recipients are: 

  • Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority — The grant will support the CMHA program, Cleveland Connects, and expand its computer lab initiative, which is an essential component of the agency's digital inclusion program, adding computer hubs at four underserved senior buildings. 
  •  Ashbury Senior Computer Community Center (ASC3) — ASC3 is geared toward empowering economically, academically and/or socially disadvantaged residents. ASC3-formed in 2002 and has trained over 8,500 people.
  • Seeds of Literacy  –— Each year, Seeds helps educate approximately 500 parents. Through its program, Enhancing and Growing the Virtual Classroom, Seeds reaches communities where poverty is high and opportunity is scarce. The majority of students reside in neighborhoods where at least 32% of households do not subscribe to broadband services and 20% are without a computer. 

Also recognized today were organizations that received Spectrum Employee Community Grants. Each awardee is nominated by one of the company’s more than 101,000 U.S. employees who has volunteered with the organization for at least one year: 

  • The Haven Home provides emergency overflow shelter to women and children who are unable to access shelter because of capacity limits. Program offerings include Health and Wellness, Education & Housing and Employment Readiness. 
  • Manna Food From Heaven Ministries is a nonprofit organization comprised of people from many denominations and pastors with a mission to provide a hot, home cooked, well-balanced meal to the homeless and the hungry.
  • Boys Hope Girls Hope has a mission to nurture and guide motivated young people in need to become well-educated, career-ready men and women for others. Through their holistic curriculum, scholars in the BHGH Academy receive academic enrichment, STEM education, hands-on learning experiences, and college and career counseling, as well as participate in service opportunities, leadership experiences, and community-building opportunities.

More information about Spectrum Digital Education and Charter’s philanthropic initiatives to support communities is available here.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story misspelled Rahman Khan's name. This has been corrected. (May 13, 2023)