Easter Seals Greater Houston Assistive Technology Helps Promote Independence With Grant From The Comcast Foundation

HOUSTON, Aug. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Easter Seals Greater Houston, announced that its national award winning BridgingApps program received a $10,000 grant from the Comcast Foundation as part of the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund. This support will expand the available equipment used in its community technology labs. BridgingApps provides a bridge between low-cost, readily available technology and people with disabilities. In addition, the program provides training for teachers, doctors, therapists, family members, and caregivers of the person with a disability.

Easter Seals Greater Houston is one of ten Easterseals affiliates across the country selected to receive a grant from the Comcast Foundation as part of the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund. Established in 2011, this fund supports technology programs and services that benefit children and adults, including veterans, living with disabilities. These technologies can vary from braille-equipped handheld computer systems to augmentative communication devices and everything in between.

"This is an exciting and extremely important initiative for Comcast and the Comcast Foundation," said Ray Purser, Vice President of External Affairs for Comcast's Houston Region.  "The Internet is a great equalizer and a life-changing technology.  The BridgingApps project strengthens the path toward equality and together we can help children and adults gain more independence, unlock new opportunities, and achieve great things."

"We thank Comcast NBCUniversal for its continued support of people with disabilities through investment in assistive technology solutions," said Elise Hough, Easter Seals Houston CEO. "This grant fund gives us the ability to offer additional life-changing, innovative solutions to veterans and individuals with disabilities and families."

Since 2011, the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund has empowered an estimated 50,000 Americans living with disabilities by providing expanded assistive technology training and services. To date, Comcast NBCUniversal has provided nearly $35 million in cash and in-kind support to help Easterseals and to advance assistive technology solutions nationwide.

Assistive technology such as speech generating devices can assist individuals with disabilities to express themselves, have social interactions, and participate in their community to enhance their quality of life.  Recently, an Easter Seals Houston client was effectively using technology to communicate. However, the school she attended did not support this device and the child was given a substitute unavailable to her speech therapist. With Comcast's generous grant, Easter Seals will be able to purchase the communication device for the lab to continue to support this child –as well as others--as she grows, develops and becomes more independent.

About Easter Seals Greater Houston
Easter Seals Greater Houston, Inc. is a non-profit corporation established to provide comprehensive services to veterans, children and adults with all types of disabilities and their family members. For more information, please visit www.eastersealshouston.org or on Facebook and Twitter (@eastersealshou).

About the Comcast Foundation 
The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified non-profit organizations. The Foundation's primary mission is to empower communities to thrive by providing access to technology, relevant digital skills and training, and inspiring volunteerism, service and leadership. The Foundation invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on the communities we serve. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated $220 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about how Comcast supports the communities it serves is available at www.comcast.com/community.

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SOURCE Easter Seals Greater Houston