WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comcast Foundation announced a $50,000 grant for a literacy program to LULAC National Educational Service Centers, Inc. (LNESC). The LNESC is a national, non-profit, community-based organization established by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), whose mission is to educate and prepare America's future workforce through intensive educational programming and leadership development training. Support of LNESC's "Accelerated Program" reinforces Comcast's continued commitment to improving educational opportunities for the Hispanic community.
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The project will be implemented in three Comcast markets; the La Villita neighborhood in Chicago, IL; Balboa Park in San Francisco, CA; and Pueblo, CO. The "Accelerated Reader" program will serve approximately 180 participants, 90 elementary school children and 90 parents. LNESC's supplementary services are considered an integral part of the education system in these neighborhoods because they face high rates for poverty, school drop out, and unemployment.
"Comcast is proud to support this important program, which provides essential literacy tools to individuals furthering their education," said David L. Cohen, executive vice president for Comcast and chairman of the Comcast Foundation. "Ultimately, providing support to organizations such as LNESC will expand the opportunities available to the Hispanic community and contribute to the success of those who participate in their programs."
"As the educational arm of LULAC, the country's oldest and largest Latino membership organization, LNESC is uniquely prepared to serve the educational needs of its target communities," said Rosa Rosales, LULAC National President.
"Given recent federal government budgetary cuts, Comcast's support comes at an integral time, enabling LULAC to continue providing our services to the Hispanic community," said Roman Palomares, Chairman of the Board, LNESC.
The "Accelerated Reader" program will be open to all elementary age students and their parents and will seek to accomplish the following three things: increase and sharpen basic computer skills and technological literacy of both parents and students through the use of specialized software and the Internet; improve reading skills, especially comprehension and retention; and develop and strengthen the educational partnership between students, parents, and schools.
About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation's oldest and largest direct-membership Hispanic advocacy organization. The LNESC, a separately incorporated entity established by LULAC, has a mission to assist academically gifted, low-income youth in their college pursuits.
Over the past 32 years, LNESC has grown to encompass a national network of eighteen physical offices, twenty-one satellite programs and seventy-five local LULAC Councils. The councils participate in a wide array of education and scholarship programs that have been developed by LNESC specifically for these community groups. LNESC's far-reaching network allows it to make a greater impact on educational attainment within the Latino community in the United States. LNESC contributes to the success of over 15,000 students nationally every year by providing college admissions information and support, financial aid counseling, academic enrichment, SAT and ACT registration, application workshops, and general student advocacy through eliminating the obstacles that may impede their success. To date, LNESC has helped over 400,000 disadvantaged, minority students to complete high school and pursue a post-secondary degree.
About Comcast
Comcast Corporation (http://www.comcast.com/) is the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 23.3 million cable customers, 10 million high-speed Internet customers, and 1.6 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, Versus, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One and four regional Comcast SportsNets. Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.
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