Comcast Empowers Families by Launching Brazoria County’s first Lift Zone

Jeanette Ortiz, a mom of three, doesn’t have to worry about where her kids will get online anymore. Her children – Jorge, Analiyza, and Jahnelle – were the first to try out the upgraded computer lab inside the newly-launched Lift Zone powered by Comcast at the Brazoria County Dream Center in Clute.

“I know they’re safe here,” Ortiz said. “They can do homework, and I don’t have to stress about Wi-Fi.”

She is thrilled that her children and any other families in need can safely connect to the power of the internet using the safest, most-reliable internet around.

“The Lift Zone is important to my family because, you know, they can do their homework here instead of doing it somewhere else. I feel more comfortable here. There are actually people here who care for them and actually would watch over them just like I would,” Ortiz added.

Melinda Little, Vice President of External Affairs for Comcast Texas, joined Brazoria County Dream Center CEO Terri Willis; Ernest Spicer, Vice President of Government Affairs for Aspen Utility Company; Brazoria County Precinct 1 Commissioner Jay Burridge, and more than 100 volunteers to celebrate the launch of the Lift Zone on Saturday, August 2, 2025.

The ribbon cutting and check presentation coincided with the Brazoria County Dream Center’s Back-to-School Bash, which welcomed more than a thousand children receiving free school supplies, backpacks, and shoes. Since 2008, the Dream Center has helped more than 20,000 students start the school year with dignity and the supplies they need.

“This event is exactly why Comcast invests in our communities. Believe it or not, the first day of school has one of the highest rates of absenteeism all year. Students who do not have the supplies they need would rather skip the first day and avoid being noticed than show up ill equipped for the school year. All of us here are committed to ensuring families, especially the most vulnerable among us – children – are never disconnected.”

Little added: “Our investment in this initiative reflects its commitment to ensuring no child is disconnected due to lack of resources.”

$20,000 Commitment to Connectivity and Community Empowerment

Comcast, in partnership with Aspen Utility Company, announced a $20,000 donation to build a state-of-the-art computer lab at the Dream Center. The Comcast Texas team continues to expand Lift Zones across Texas, staying true to the founding mission of bringing connectivity to underserved communities. The ribbon-cutting ceremony symbolized a brighter future for Brazoria County families – one powered by trust, technology, and community collaboration.

A Trusted Local Partner Bringing Hope and High-Speed Internet to Brazoria County

The Dream Center has long been a lifeline for Brazoria County families, offering groceries, medical care, rent assistance, and more. Now, with reliable internet and a full computer lab, it’s taking that support to the next level.

“This has been a dream for several years of mine, but I couldn’t get it moving. When Comcast called and said, ‘Hey, we’d like to partner with you with a Lift Zone with free Wi-Fi,’ that was a game changer for everything. To be able to have internet throughout the building and to have the computers and the computer lab to run is amazing. It’s a win-win for all of us. This is the missing piece to the puzzle.”

Little said, “We like to say connectivity is community. Starting today, families have the power in their hands to connect to resources they so vitally need. They can come inside, in the air conditioning, to do what they need to do, whether it’s to apply for jobs or to complete their homework.”

“I love the Dream Center, because they help me get my kids back to school stuff. It’s kind of hard to be a single mom, you know, to get in all this stuff. But it’s helpful and I’m blessed to be here,” Ortiz added.

“Thank you to Comcast for providing this lift zone for my family and much more families out there that need it.”