Cablefax The Magazine - July 2014 - 12

MSO COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Time Warner Cable New York City
Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast in late October 2012,
becoming the largest Atlantic hurricane on record and the
second-costliest in U.S. history. It killed nearly 300 people in
seven countries.
While there were numerous heroic efforts by cable
personnel during and after Sandy, we've chosen to honor
the NYC system of Time Warner Cable. By giving consideration
to affected communities in its community investment
program, TWC helped make something good come
out of Sandy's destruction.
As many readers know, the country's number two MSO
since 2009 has focused its community investment on combatting
the decline in students' interest in science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM) with the multi-year,
award-winning Connect A Million Minds outreach.
Less known is a related effort to install TWC Learning Labs
in urban community centers. Powered by TWC Business
Class broadband access, the Labs include state-of-the-art
computers and other equipment, provided at no cost. In
addition, TWC supplies instructors who help residents learn
about using the Internet for education and job-related activities.
Largely aimed at students and young adults, the Labs
are part of TWC's effort to foster digital literacy.
A TWC Learning Lab can be a boon for a community center.
" We conduct a lengthy evaluation process " to decide where
to locate them, says Karen LaCava, who runs TWC NYC's
community investment program. " Considering how badly some
neighborhoods were hurt by Sandy, we decided to take that into
account when determining where to open Labs, " she adds.
TWC's NYC system has opened a trio of Labs in Sandyaffected
neighborhoods last year and thus far in 2014. The fi rst
opened in Red Hook, Brooklyn, on Nov. 1, 366 days after Sandy
hit NYC. The Lab includes 15 laptops, 4 classroom monitors
and a multimedia entertainment system with surround sound.
Cameras and audio visual editing software also were provided.
HURRICANE JIM: Kids enjoyed meeting Weather Channel personality
Jim Cantore and learning about preparedness during Time Warner Cable
and Weather's Connect with Weather event in NY.
Red Hook Initiative annually serves 500 youth, who engage in
programs to help them graduate from high school and go to
college or a job development training program.
A second Lab opened weeks later, on Nov. 19, at the
As part of its franchise renewal with NYC, TWC committed
to have 40 Learning Labs open in NYC by 2020. The
system's investment will exceed $2 million, plus complimentary
TWC Business Class Internet and video services.
TWC automatically credited residential and business
subscribers for missed services due to Sandy, which
destroyed power lines throughout NYC. Other providers
issued credits when contacted by subscribers.
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non-profi t Rockaway Development and Revitalization
Corporation in Far Rockaway, Queens. That Lab features
16 Dell PCs and MAC Air Pros. The Rockaways is an
11-mile peninsula that Sandy badly damaged. A third Lab
in a Sandy-hit community was opened this past April 24
at the Ali Forney Center in Harlem. TWC NYC's 12th Lab
was outfi tted with 25 desktop computers, 10 laptops, fi ve
tablets and a smart board. The Center is the largest agency
dedicated to serving homeless and runaway Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) youth in NYC and nationwide.
On a typical day, AFC's programming reaches nearly
300 homeless LGBT youth. TWC also donated funds to
help re-build the Center, which Sandy destroyed.
TWC also partnered with another TWC, The Weather
Channel, on Connect With Weather, a program to help youth
learn how to best prepare for storms. The effort kicked off
last October when the TWCs held a program at a Brooklyn
community center for more than 75 children and adults.
Weather's storm expert Jim Cantore discussed preparedness,
as did a Red Cross representative. An offi cial from
the Humane Society told attendees how to care for animals
during a weather-related incident. LaCava tells us plans are
afoot to make Connect With Weather even more accessible,
holding an event at the TWC retail store in Queens Center
Mall. TWC's store there is the MSO's busiest retail outlet in
the country. " We want to touch as many people as we can
with information about how to be ready should another storm
threaten the area, " LaCava says.
- Seth Arenstein
July 2014
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Cablefax The Magazine - July 2014

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