Month: July 2023

Unlimited possibilities – this is the theme of Project UP – Comcast’s $1B commitment to reach tens of millions of people with connectivity and other tools that drive economic mobility. I thought of the unlimited possibilities that the 8.3 million Americans who can’t yet connect to broadband Internet will begin to have thanks to the Biden administration’s historic announcement today allocating billions to connect everyone.

President Biden and Vice President Harris announced the allocation of $42.5 billion in federal funds, which will be granted across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories. This once in a generation investment, made possible by bipartisan congressional action, will enable broadband to get to the places it isn’t today. Policymakers and the private sector have been working to bridge the digital divide for decades, since I was serving in the Clinton administration. But never have we seen this pairing of public and private funding to truly complete the job.

At Comcast, we’ve already been working coast to coast on new deployments into areas that don’t have Internet – and you can see some of those stories here including new network expansions, investments and buildouts in Lackawanna County, PA; Plainfield, CT; Colbert County, AL; eight counties in Georgia; 19 counties in Indiana; the communities of Kingwood, Pinehurst, Prairie View, Waller, New Caney and Conroe, Texas; Chattaroy and Key Peninsula, WA.

These areas now have the unlimited possibilities the internet can bring – seeing a doctor who is across the country via telehealth, taking a job training course remotely to get a better job, connecting to family far away or becoming an entrepreneur, coder, filmmaker.

Unlimited possibilities aren’t possible if there isn’t broadband infrastructure. That alone is not enough. We also need resources to get and keep connected the many who have access but may have issues around adoption – like affordability and lack of digital skills. This where the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and Digital Navigators are so vital.

Two weeks ago, the White House highlighted the ACP with a week of action, and we together with so many others stepped up – this month we’ll host or participate in over 100 events aimed at ACP awareness and enrollment for eligible people.

Comcast is the founding partner of the Online For All campaign with Civic Nation and the U.S. Department of Education, with the goal of reaching millions who still remain unconnected with the power of the Internet. The ACP has been a big success already with 18.5 million families now getting help with their broadband costs through the program. So many more are eligible, and we need to continue efforts across the board. Digital Navigators are key to getting these folks connected and will be a focus of this campaign.

Yesterday, I had the honor of joining a discussion at the Aspen Ideas Festival with Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Administrator of NTIA, Alan Davidson. He noted that, on top of the infrastructure investment, there is also $3 billion that will be used for digital equity and opportunity programs across the country. Alan called this a “generational moment” to bring the essential communications medium of our time to everyone. I agree wholeheartedly and look forward to unlimited possibilities broadband can provide to everyone.

Broderick Johnson is Executive Vice President, Public Policy and Executive Vice President, Digital Equity for Comcast Corporation.

FISHERS, Ind., July 10, 2023 /3BL/ – Land Betterment Corporation (“Land Betterment” or the “Company”), a certified B Corporation and an environmental solutions company, is proud to announce its ekō Solutions division has partnered with Camp G.R.A.V.E.S., an organization currently providing housing solutions to victims of the 2021 Kentucky tornadoes. Through this partnership, ekō Solutions placed six sustainable upcycled shipping-container homes at the site in Water Valley, Kentucky, for people in need of temporary housing.

Land Betterment has a strong track record of helping communities in a time of need. Back in December of 2021 when the devastating tornadoes hit western Kentucky, Land Betterment took immediate action and provided 22 ekō Solutions’ upcycled shipping-container homes to displaced residents in Dawson Springs, Kentucky. These container homes provided a foundation for families so they could begin to rebuild their lives and move forward.

Now, Land Betterment’s ekō Solutions division, through this partnership with Camp G.R.A.V.E.S., is providing sustainable upcycled shipping container homes to be used for individuals and families in need of temporary bridge housing. This will include housing for individuals who lost their homes due to natural disasters after the initial financial relief has expired and eventually to children aging out of foster care.

“Our units were a critical housing solution for families who had their lives turned upside down by the 2021 tornadoes,” said ekō Solutions President Peter Rodriguez. “We got to know this community well in the aftermath of that storm. Now, we’re honored to partner with Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. to give a hand up to men and women who are in need of a home.”

In addition to providing housing, Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. offers comprehensive support programs, including resources, employment opportunities, and education programs. Their track record of helping individuals achieve independence and productivity sets them apart and makes Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. an ideal partner for this endeavor.

“People need homes as the foundation for their families, and without that, it is very difficult to move forward,” Kirk Taylor, Land Betterment President said. “We are so proud to be able to have a positive impact on both individuals and communities in a time of need.”

The six upcycled shipping-container homes are located at 15030 State Route 45 South, Water Valley, Kentucky. The models currently in place at Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. are the Agora model which measures 320 square feet and is an open floor plan with 1 bedroom and 1 full bathroom and the Tide Model measuring 320 square feet and is an open floor plan with a 1 bedroom studio and 1 full bathroom. These sustainable and energy-efficient homes combine contemporary design with practicality.

ekō Solutions ensures the quality and compliance of the homes by adhering to strict national and state building codes. With a standardized approach and rigorous quality control measures, homes are manufactured at an impressive rate of up to seven per week. The construction process pays close attention to detail, from the faucets used to the placement of electrical outlets. By virtue of their previous life as ocean shipping containers, ekō homes are built to withstand transportation, ensuring they meet building standards and codes.

In addition to the Agora and Tide models, ekō Solutions offers a wide range of shipping-container housing solutions, including mobile workstations, bathrooms, dog grooming facilities, food stands, RVs, farms, hunting retreats, and homes.

About Camp Graves 
Camp G.R.A.V.E.S, a 501(c)(3) non-profit located Water Valley, Kentucky, helps break the cycle of poverty, housing instability, unemployment, government dependence, addiction, lack of education and roadblocks getting in the way of independence and success. Through our programs, Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. provides disaster relief, interim housing to disaster victims and services to break negative cycles. Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. provides short to mid-term housing for victims of displacing disaster. This housing allows families to regroup, recuperate and rebuild what they have lost without worrying about where they will house their family. Housing stability in the mist of upheaval is crucial for the rebuilding of both the physical home and their lives to begin. Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. also connects individuals and families to community resources in Graves, Kentucky and surrounding counties. Camp residents and the community have access to local resources ranging from schools to hospitals, municipalities, churches, legal aid, counseling, and everything in between. We are working with organizations, businesses, and educational institutions to provide individuals with opportunities to better themselves, their lives and the lives of those around them. To learn more about Camp G.R.A.V.E.S. visit our website www.campgraves.org or connect with us on Facebook

About ekō Solutions 
ekō Solutions, a Land Betterment Company, is a sustainable development company utilizing innovative, low-cost, container-based structures to provide durable, high-end solutions to the building marketplace while also maintaining the ability to be utilized in a mobile environment. ekō Solutions uses innovative ecological structures to replace legacy inefficient and ineffective methods of living, growing and working. The sustainable craftsmanship of our structures is what separates us from the alternatives. Our structures are suitable for residential, crisis, recovery, commercial and recreation use. For more information visit ekosolutionsllc.com and connect with ekō Solutions on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Land Betterment Corporation 
Land Betterment Corporation, an Indiana Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp, is an environmental solutions company focused on fostering a positive impact through upcycling former coal mining and industrial sites to create sustainable community development and job creation. The Company utilizes a complete solution-based lifecycle program to restore and rehabilitate the environment and revitalize communities in need of change and opportunity. Land Betterment accomplishes this by identifying un-reclaimed, run-down and neglected coal mining sites, fixing the environment through reclamation and remediation, and then repurposing the land to support a sustainable business that serves the community. Land Betterment firmly believes that with real solutions it is possible for restoration of impacted areas to live side-by-side long term employment, while building sustainable and safe surroundings for communities and our planet. For more information visit landbetterment.com or connect with the Company on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

**Media Contacts:**

Mark LaVerghetta 
Chief Governance Officer, Corporate Finance 
Land Betterment Corporation 
Phone: 317.537.0492 ext. 0 
Email: info@landbetterment.com

Stephanie Conzelman 
Stakeholder Engagement Director 
Land Betterment Corporation 
Phone: 207.205.0790 
Email: info@landbetterment.com

Zak Owens 
Fleur de Lis Communications 
Phone: 502.386.5704 
Email: zak@fdlcomms.com

**Source:** Land Betterment Corporation

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance, or achievements or industry results to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Land Betterment Corporation’s control. The words “believes”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “continue”, “seeks”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “expects”, “intends”, “estimates”, or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Any forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. The Company cannot assure you that the projected results or events will be achieved.