It’s Comcast Cares Day in Washington – And Around the Country – Saturday!

April 29, 2011 by

More than 2,000 Comcast Volunteers to Volunteer at 12 Community Service Projects Across Western Washington and Spokane for Comcast Cares Day

Volunteer sites include El Centro de La Raza in Seattle, Boys and Girls Clubs of Spokane County

On Saturday, April 30, more than 2,000 Comcast employees and their families and friends will volunteer to improve more than a dozen locations throughout Western Washington and in Spokane as part of Comcast’s “Comcast Cares Day.” 

At the same time across the country, more than 62,000 Comcast volunteers will participate in this annual day of service, which is one of the largest single days of corporate volunteer efforts in the country.  This is Comcast’s 10th Comcast Cares Day.  Since its inception in 2001, Comcast employees, their families and friends have dedicated over 2 million hours of service.  The Company has also committed more than $10 million in grants to organizations nationwide.  Comcast Cares Day is one way that Comcast helps to power dreams and demonstrate a year-round commitment to making a difference in the communities it serves.

Comcast’s task lists for the day in Washington state are as varied as the projects, but include massive amounts of painting and landscaping, and unique tasks ranging from building a welcome counter for a building to rebuilding a miniature golf course for a homeless families’ outdoor program.

“April 30 marks our 10th Comcast Cares Day, which has become one of the largest single-day corporate volunteer efforts in the country,” said Len Rozek, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Washington Region.  “I’m proud of Comcast’s commitment to improving the quality of life in the local communities where our customers and employees live and work.” 

 Here is a list of projects, by community:

Aberdeen
Rebuilding Together’s Rebuilding Day 2011
Coordinating Comcast office: Aberdeen Field Fulfillment Office
Rebuilding Together believes in a safe and healthy home for every person; it preserves affordable homeownership and revitalizes communities by providing free home modifications and repairs, making homes safer, more accessible, and more energy efficient.  Comcast activities will include:

  • Home maintenance
  • Window repair and replacement
  • Landscaping
  • Energy efficient modification projects

Bremerton
Holly Ridge Center
Coordinating office: Bremerton Field Fulfillment Office
Holly Ridge Center has been serving children and adults with disabilities for nearly 50 years. Comcast activities will include

  • Updating playgrounds and equipment projects
  • Landscaping
  • Pressure washing projects
  • Painting

Custer (near Bellingham)
Custer Elementary School
Coordinating Comcast Office: Bellingham Field Fulfillment Office
Custer Elementary School educates and cares for about 325 elementary school students.  Comcast activities will include:

  • Painting
  • Landscaping
  • Maintenance

Federal Way
Boy Scouts of America Pacific Harbor Council’s Camp Kilworth
Coordinating Comcast office: Auburn Field Fulfillment Office
The 40-acre Camp Kilworth is a youth day and night camp site. Among the Comcast activities:

  • Pressure washing
  • Painting
  • Campsite cleaning projects
  • Landscaping
  • Replacement and equipment repair projects

Kirkland
Peter Kirk Elementary School
Coordinating Comcast office: Redmond Field Fulfillment Office
Peter Kirk educates 545 elementary school students.   Comcast activities will include:

  • Weeding
  • Bush clearing
  • Planting and beauty bark projects

Olympia
GRuB (Garden Raised Bounty)
Coordinating Comcast Office: Olympia Field Fulfillment Office
Garden-Raised Bounty (GRuB) is a grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to good food for people. The organization grows inspired, self-confident and community-minded youth through educational and employment opportunities. The group also helps low-income families and seniors to help themselves by building raised-bed gardens at their homes. Comcast activities will include:

  • Planting and landscaping
  • Painting

Parkland
L’Arche Farms
Coordinating Comcast Office: Puyallup Field Fulfillment Office
L’Arche Tahoma Hope Farm & Gardens strives to offer a safe and welcoming environment that provides meaningful farm and garden work to persons with developmental disabilities. Through the efforts of the workers, L’Arche Farms is able to supply organic produce to the local farmers markets and food banks. Comcast activities will include:

  • Landscaping projects
  • Greenhouse projects
  • Compost projects
  • Chicken coop projects
  • Woodchip creation project

Seattle
El Centro de La Raza (The Center for People of All Races)
Coordinating Comcast Office: Seattle Field Fulfillment Office
El Centro de la Raza provides comprehensive services to the community through 32 different programs and services, including human and emergency services, education and skill-building programs, community building and development, and child and youth programs. Comcast activities will include:

  • Painting
  • Landscaping
  • Wiring
  • General maintenance
  • Special event preparation (for Cinco de Mayo)
  • Security camera and improvements
  • Assistance with community outreach (preparing mailings, auction item procurement, packet preparation, etc…)

Snohomish
The Farm Youth Outreach
Coordinating Comcast office:  Everett Field Fulfillment Office
The Farm Youth Outreach helps homeless children and their families with food and clothing.  In 2008, the American Red Cross of Snohomish County named the organization’s founder, Bruce Karr, as Humanitarian of the Year. Comcast activities will include:

  • Rebuilding the miniature golf course
  • Rebuilding table tops and picnic tables
  • Painting
  • Landscaping and weeding
  • Cleaning and pressure washing  

Spokane
Boys and Girls Clubs of Spokane County
Coordinating Comcast office: Spokane Field Fulfillment Office
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County provides educational programs, mentoring, recreational sports leagues, art and music classes to more than 4,000 at-risk youth a year at three club locations. Comcast activities will include:

•     Painting
•     Cleaning and polishing
•     Power washing
•     Landscaping

Sultan
Volunteers of America’s Sky Valley Resource Center
Coordinating Comcast Office: Lynnwood and Everett Call Centers
Sky Valley Resource Center helps individuals and families with a number of needed services.   Services offered include a preschool, gang and violence prevention for teens, a senior center and a food bank. Comcast activities will include:

  • Cleaning
  • Painting
  • Maintenance
  • Landscaping

Tacoma
Network Services
Coordinating Comcast office: Fife Call Center
Network Tacoma assists homeless families with children by providing transitional housing, resources and a program to help them achieve self-sufficiency.  Comcast activities will include::

  • Painting projects
  • Window weatherizing projects
  • Cleaning projects
  • Landscaping project
  • Raised garden projects
  • Food bank projects

 The Comcast Foundation will also provide grants to local community partner organizations across the country on behalf of each employee and family member who volunteers on Comcast Cares Day. The grants will help Comcast’s community partners continue their mission of serving the community throughout the year. While project volunteer groups are still coming together, Comcast anticipates volunteers from both affiliates of the Urban League and The National Council of La Raza (NCLR).

For more information on Comcast’s volunteer and community investment initiatives, visit
http://www.comcast.com/inthecommunity
.  For information about Comcast Cares Day in Washington in 2010 please click here.

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq:  CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services.  Comcast is principally involved in the operation of cable systems through Comcast Cable and in the development, production and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and other content for global audiences through NBCUniversal.  Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential and business customers.  Comcast is the majority owner and manager of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates entertainment and news cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local television station groups, television production operations, a major motion picture company and theme parks.
Comcast has about 3,200 Washington employees, including 1,000 local customer service representatives in three call centers, who serve more than 1.1 million customers in Washington. For more information, visit
http://www.comcastinwashingtonstate.com

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 primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities.  The Foundation has three community investment priorities – promoting community service, expanding digital literacy, and building tomorrow’s leaders. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated over $90 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/neighborhood. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/community.

About NCLR
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR)—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.  Through its network of nearly 300 affiliated community-based organizations, NCLR reaches millions of Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.  To achieve its mission, NCLR conducts applied research, policy analysis, and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in five key areas—assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health. In addition, it provides capacity-building assistance to its Affiliates who work at the state and local level to advance opportunities for individuals and families.

Founded in 1968, NCLR is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization headquartered in Washington, DC.  NCLR serves all Hispanic subgroups in all regions of the country and has regional offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, and San Antonio.

About NUL
The National Urban League is the nation’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are more than 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide.

Filed under All News Releases

Comcast Co-Sponsors Sara Evans, Thompson Square Concert to Raise Money for Rotary Club of Auburn Scholarships

April 27, 2011 by


May 9, the Rotary Club of Auburn will be holding their 28th Scholarship Show at the Auburn Performing Arts Center. This year’s country music artists will be Sara Evans and Thompson Square.

The Scholarship Show program raises money for local post high school scholarships for students in the Auburn School District, the Auburn Adventist Academy, and Green River Community College.  Through the history of the program, the Rotary Club of Auburn has raised nearly $780,000 for scholarships.  Comcast has been a major sponsor of this event through in-kind advertising and direct financial support.  We are delighting to be airing the spot above to promote this concert. We look forward to a great show supporting a great cause in the South King County region.

Click here for more information from KMPS and to buy tickets

In the past, the Scholarship Show has featured Keith Urban, Phil Vassar, Darius Rucker, and Blake Shelton.  This is a top notch annual concert, and it’s located in Auburn

Filed under All News Releases, Community investment Tagged with

First Washington State Case on the Air: New Comcast Missing Kids On Demand And Online Service Brings Missing Children Information to Millions of Consumers

April 22, 2011 by

Tayvaunna Milam picture

Tayvaunna Milam is the first Washington State youth to be included in the Comcast Missing Kids video project designed in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to bring awareness about missing youth and try to help find them.

Extra Visibility Will Help Law Enforcement and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Bring More Children Home

Every year an estimated 800,000 children are reported as missing in the United States.  Comcast recently launched Missing Kids On Demand and online at xfinity.com/news/missingkids, a first-of-its-kind public service initiative that will make information about missing children available to millions of Comcast video customers and consumers across the United States.

The first case from Washington State is available On Demand now and online. It concerns Tayvaunna Milam, who disappeared in 2009.

Tayvaunna Milam is a 17 year-old American Indian, black and white female who has black hair, brown eyes and pierced ears.

Visit Xfinity TV to watch a video about Tayvaunna Milam 

The video about Tayvaunna will air through mid-May.

In mid-May., in association with the National Center, there will be another case of a missing person from Washington: Kaycee Ludeman. She was born July 17, 1995 and was reported missing Jan. 24, 2011. she’s a white female who stands at 5’6″ with brown hair, hazel eyes and weighing 131 pounds.

pictures of Kaycee Ludeman

Endangered runaway Kaycee Ludeman will be featured on Comcast Missing Kids On Demand in May

The new initiative is in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and will enable Comcast customers and consumers to support efforts by law enforcement across the country to help bring missing children home.

“The best way to help find a missing child is to get the message out as broadly as possible,” said Ernie Allen, President and CEO of National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.  “Our partnership with Comcast enables us to reach millions of homes across the country we may not otherwise reach and empowers viewers with the resources they need to help solve cases.”

“Our On Demand and online platforms have a strong track record of helping raise awareness for important issues,” said Diana Kerekes, Vice President Entertainment Services, Comcast.  “We’ve seen real success with other public service initiatives available on our platforms such as Police Blotter, Stand Up To Cancer and the Pink Ribbon Campaign, and we hope this partnership can help drive awareness of missing children and the efforts of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and law enforcement.”

There are a number of videos on the site, including of a brother and sister from Portland who are missing:

Comcast’s Missing Kids On Demand and online, produced in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, features 20 video profiles chronicling missing child cases from across the nation.  Each video provides relevant details about the child’s case, including the name of the missing child, city of the disappearance, possible whereabouts, likely abductors and photos.  In cases where the child has been missing for a long period, an age progressed photo showing what he/she may look like at a more recent age will also be available.  In addition, during the airing of each profile, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s toll-free 24-hour national missing children’s hotline (800-THE-LOST) will be displayed on the bottom of the profile, so viewers can report tips should they have any information.  The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website will also be available for viewers to report tips online at www.missingkids.com.

This public service initiative is modeled after Comcast’s Police Blotter On Demand, which shows profiles of local “Most Wanted” criminals and is created in partnership with local law enforcement authorities.  Since its launch in November 2006, Police Blotter On Demand has profiled more than 1,400 fugitives and has led to more than 90 criminal captures.  Police Blotter On Demand is part of Comcast’s “Get Local” programming On Demand, which includes local news, high school sports, film and music festivals and other community-based programs.

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services.  With 22.9 million video customers, 16.7 million high-speed Internet customers, and 8.4 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast’s content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, 11 regional sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast’s Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net).  Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, which owns two professional sports teams, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, and a large, multipurpose arena in Philadelphia, the Wells Fargo Center, and, through Global Spectrum, manages other facilities for sporting events, concerts and other events.

About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  Since it was established by Congress in 1984, the organization has operated the toll-free 24-hour national missing children’s hotline which has handled more than 2,528,730 calls.  It has assisted law enforcement in the recovery of more than 157,720 children.  The organization’s CyberTipline has handled more than 1,000,620 reports of child sexual exploitation and its Child Victim Identification Program has reviewed and analyzed more than 44,099,160 pornography images and videos.  The organization works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice’s office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  To learn more about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com.

Filed under 2011 News Releases, News Releases Tagged with , , ,

Be Part of the Filming of ‘Adrenaline Hunter’

April 20, 2011 by

Bethy, the host of Adrenaline Hunter

Bethy, the host of Adrenaline Hunter

Where and when: 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23. Comcast Arena at Everett. That’s this Saturday!

Here’s an opportunity from our friends at Comcast SportsNet: WANTED II: Adventure Woman winner Bethy’s new series, Adrenaline Hunter, has hit the airwaves on Comcast SportsNet. But the series is still being filmed, and next up, Bethy will be seeking the ultimate rush of adrenaline by playing for the Tilted Thunder Rail Birds Banked-Track Roller Derby League!

Be part of the taping of this new episode of Adrenaline Hunter by coming to “Season 1 – Bout 1” at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Comcast Arena at Everett.

With three exhibition bouts now under their belt, the Tilted Thunder Rail Birds are set to kick-off their regular season this Saturday.  These hard-hitting, rough n’ tough roller girls are prepared for crushing roller derby action! The Tilted Thunder Rail Birds will be unveiling their 4 new teams at Saturday’s first bout of the regular season.  Come witness the Tilted Thunder Rail Birds as they continue to establish banked-track as the premier form of roller derby in the Pacific Northwest.

Filed under All News Releases Tagged with ,

Counting the Days to Comcast Cares Day

April 19, 2011 by

We’re all looking forward to Comcast Cares Day in Washington State on April 30 where thousands of volunteers will cross Washington to help nonprofits with a variety of improvement projects. Here are just two examples of the news releases that our partner organizations send out: from El Centro de La Raza and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Spokane County.

Comcast Cares Day at El Centro de la Raza

 Seattle – Will you be joining us in celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Comcast Cares Day on April 30th, 2011? 300-350 volunteers from Comcast, the community and El Centro de la Raza will be joining forces to tackle countless volunteer projects. This special event has grown to become one of the largest single-day corporate volunteer efforts in the country, and El Centro de la Raza is proud to host it on Saturday, April 30th. 

The day’s projects will save El Centro de la Raza tens of thousands of dollars in maintenance and upkeep that could not have been done otherwise. As a non-profit organization, El Centro de la Raza relies on partnering with volunteers year-round in countless ways to help serve over 22,884 individuals in our 32 human services programs annually. In 2009 Comcast Cares Day volunteers contributed to our total of over 24,000 hours of volunteer work. Gracias!

Projects will take place throughout the day and volunteers can join in for just an hour or up to the entire day and participate in hands-on team or office projects.  Some of the team projects include pruning trees, landscaping the grounds, prepping and painting of the halls and stairwells, window washing, and installing new flood lights and cameras for the safety of participants and the community. Office projects include graphic design opportunities, data entry, Auction item procurement and others.

Lunch will be provided gracias to Comcast. Registration begins at 7:00am and the event lasts until 2:00pm or 3:00pm. Anyone interested in joining the action by volunteering throughout the day should RSVP to volunteer@elcentrodelaraza.org or call 206.957.4602 by Friday, April 15th, 2011.

For more information, visit www.elcentrodelaraza.org

THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SPOKANE COUNTY SELECTED FOR COMCAST CARES DAY ON APRIL 30

 SPOKANE, WASHINGTON (Monday, April 11) – On Saturday, April 30th, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., more than 150 Comcast employees will volunteer their day to give the Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County’s Northtown Club location a “make-over” as part of the annual Comcast Cares Day. The day will include cleaning the building, painting and general efforts to beautify the Club that currently serves up to 250 at-risk youth every day. To enhance one of the largest single-day corporate volunteer efforts in the country, friends and families of the Boys & Girls Clubs will also join in the effort to improve the Club’s appearance.  

“Comcast has been a tremendous champion for our organization over the years and to be selected as the site for their annual community outreach efforts is a reflection of the great employees they have and the amazingly impactful work they do in the local community,” stated Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County’s Executive Director, Dick Hanlin. “The Northtown Club serves as the center of the neighborhood and we are looking forward to working right along-side their volunteers to ensure it continues to be a safe place for those who need our help most.” 

Comcast Cares Day has become a staple in the local community and by the end of the day April 30, Comcast employees, families and friends nationwide will have volunteered more than 2 million hours of service during the history of Comcast Cares Day. The 2011 Comcast Cares Day holds a special meaning in that it will serve to celebrate the 10th anniversary of both Comcast Cares Day as well as the opening of the first of three Boys & Girls Clubs in Spokane County – the Northtown Club.

“April 30 marks our 10th Comcast Cares Day, which has become one of the largest single-day corporate volunteer efforts in the country. We in Spokane are part of a national day of service that will include over 600 projects in 39 states and Washington D.C. and more than 370,000 hours of community service in one day,” said Ken Watts, General Manager for Comcast in Spokane. “In giving back to and serving communities, we hope to meet their needs for a better future. Comcast will continue its commitment to community service during these challenging times, and we hope to inspire others to volunteer and help their communities.”

To volunteer for Comcast Cares Day at the Northtown Boys & Girls Club, call 509-489-0741. Volunteers are needed from 8am – 4pm. 

About The Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County

Since 2001, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County has been a part of a nationwide affiliation of local, autonomous organizations dedicated to helping young people of all backgrounds develop the qualities they need to become responsible citizens and leaders. Founded in the philosophies of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County operates multiple Clubs in order to provide a broad range of programs in five Core Areas: Education and Career Development, Character and Leadership Development, Health and Life Skills, The Arts and Sports, Fitness and Recreation.

Currently serving more than 4,000 area youth between the ages of 6 – 18, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County operates three Clubs year-round from Friday through Monday. For a yearly membership fee of $10, youth have access to all of the Clubs: Northtown Branch (Open 3pm – 7pm); the Libby Teen Center (Open 4pm – 8pm) and the Lisa Stiles-Gyllenhammer Mead Branch (Open 3pm – 7pm).

For more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane, visit www.bgcspokanecounty.org

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq:  CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services.  Comcast is principally involved in the operation of cable systems through Comcast Cable and in the development, production and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and other content for global audiences through NBCUniversal.  Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential and business customers.  Comcast is the majority owner and manager of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates entertainment and news cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local television station groups, television production operations, a major motion picture company and theme parks.

Comcast has about 3,200 Washington employees, including 1,000 local customer service representatives in three call centers, who serve more than 1.1 million customers in Washington. For more information, visit
http://www.comcastinwashingtonstate.com

Filed under All News Releases, Community investment Tagged with , ,

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