Comcast's RISE and more of their latest news!

*This post was created in collaboration with Comcast. Though I received compensation, all opinions are and always will be, 100% my own. Thank you for supporting Prim and Propah!

It’s been a hot minute since I checked in with what my friends at Comcast have been up to! They sent the latest and greatest over to me this week and as I was reading through the materials, I was thinking about how incredibly important our connections have been this year… not just our connections with other people (yes, that’s imperative!) but also the technological connections that are keeping us together in so many ways.

When I think of how I have kept up with my most important people and all the businesses that I love, it’s because of that technological connection… I’m so fortunate that I have access to the resources to be able to support my son’s remote schooling, Facetime with my family regularly, stream endless entertainment and all on a high speed internet (high school Amanda’s mind would be blown by how fast my internet is now!). The impact of the pandemic has been felt in so many different ways and with a lot of nuances. One area that has had me concerned since earlier this year is the survival of our small businesses… and one of the things that Comcast is currently doing is certainly going to make you say WHOA because it really shows their continued commitment to supporting communities in a real way (remember their virtual call on racial justice efforts and their internet essentials plans?). Check out Comcast RISE:

From Comcast: Small businesses have been dealing with the ongoing impact of the pandemic, social unrest, and environmental events. Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses have been some of the hardest hit. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, between February and April 2020, the number of active Black-owned businesses declined by 41%, Latinx-owned businesses declined by 32%, and Asian-owned businesses dropped by 25%, versus just 21% for the general population. Comcast RISE was created to invest in the success of these critical businesses by providing valuable and practical support.

Comcast RISE – In October, Comcast launched Comcast RISE, a multi-year initiative created to help strengthen and empower small businesses, starting with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color owned businesses; those hardest hit by COVID-19. The Comcast RISE program will help thousands of small businesses over the next three years through grants, marketing and technology upgrades, including media campaigns and connectivity, computer and voice equipment, as well as free marketing insights to all applicants. For more information, visit www.comcastrise.com.

I’m crazy about the idea of long term, tangible assistance to small business owners, especially those owned by Black, Indigenous and BIPOC. The way that Comcast has looked at where it can offer meaningful assistance and turn that into a program like his, impresses me. It’s pretty incredible so if you’re reading this and think your business might fit this program, applications are being accepted on a rolling basis through February 7th, 2021!

In addition to Comcast RISE, Comcast is still doing a lot of the things that they’ve been investing in for quite some time, to increase equity in our communities. Being connected to the internet is essential and should not be considered a luxury. I’ve talked about it before but Comcast has continued to support communities in need by keeping customers connected through Internet Essentials, Network Investment expansion, School Programs, Xifinity WiFi hotspots that are free for everyone (For a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, visit www.xfinity.com/wifi), free educational resources and more!

Even on the local level, Comcast is chipping in. Just recently, they teamed up with Telemundo to provide laptops to local families through the Boston Centers for Youth & Families Blackstone Community Center in the South End. You can read about that effort here. 

And if you’re into the tech-y type news, Xfinity Mobile, rated #1 in customer satisfaction, is “available to Xfinity Internet customers and includes up to five lines of unlimited nationwide talk and text, no activation fees, and no phone line access fees. When combined with free access to millions of Xfinity WiFi hotspots, Xfinity Mobile customers can save hundreds of dollars per year on their wireless bills.

Xfinity Mobile customers can choose from two straightforward nationwide 5G data options – By-the-Gig shared data starting at 1GB for $15, 3GB for $30 and 10GB for $60, or Unlimited for $45 per month per line.* Unlike most wireless carriers, Xfinity Mobile gives customers the flexibility to mix-and-match data options per line on an account and switch any line on an account between data options, at any time during their billing cycle.” <-- via Comcast

Learn more about Comcast RISE, Internet Essentials, Xfinity Mobile, fantastic new equipment, and so much more that Comcast is doing on their corporate site. In a time when we are voting with our dollars more than ever, seeing a company doing so much good, cool stuff, is hard to ignore!