Click on this map to see where Comcast has been donating over the past couple of years. We just listed the places in 2011 where we donated.
One of the things we do in our office is help manage community giving by Comcast in Western Washington and Spokane. What I like to do as an exercise is plot out on a map where Comcast donates. We use a wonderful tool offered by the great folks at Zeemaps. Today I gathered up info from several databases and charted Comcast’s 2011 giving, and then added that info to the main map.
Click on this screenshot to see where Comcast donated in 2011 alone. This is a closeup of the Seattle area. You can click on the map to move in on various areas.
This exercise helps us identify any geographic gaps. The map also, frankly, helps answer a question that comes up from time to time: “So what does Comcast do for the community in Washington state?” Now, I don’t know how often that question comes up. I have no idea how many people take local community giving into account before choosing to give their business to us or a competitor. Of course, it doesn’t matter how often people ask the question. Community giving is the right thing to do on its own. The right community investment can produce the ultimate return on investment: changing entire lives for the better.
Among the most common ways we donate: scholarships through the Leaders and Achievers program, airtime on Comcast Newsmakers or through public service announcements we air on cable channels, cash grants by the local office or the Comcast Foundation, airtime donated through On Demand, and more. We spend a lot of time thinking about how to donate to support youth technology programs and many other worth groups and causes.
All that said, there’s a price that one pays for seemingly “giving away” money. We spend a lot of time having to say no. There just isn’t enough time, money and other resources to say yes to everyone. We’ve got a pretty full list of groups and causes we sponsor now. But if you ever want to apply for your group, you’re always welcome to fill out our online application. If you’d like someone from a group to be on Comcast Newsmakers, our public affairs segments filmed in both Western Washington and Spokane, you can get more information here.
Woodside Elementary School students walk the Red Carpet as the Comcast Big Brothers Big Sisters event comes to Washington state. Click on the picture to see more photographs of the happy day.
I love Big Brothers Big Sisters. Mentoring a young person delivers life-changing benefits for both the “Bigs” and the “Littles,” as Big Brothers Big Sisters likes to call their participants.
The problem is that many people ask, “Who has the time?” Weekends are crazy enough with yard work, soccer games and the inevitable trips to Costco and Home Depot. Carving out a few hours to spend with a “Little” can seem overwhelming.
Now, Big Brothers Big Sisters, with the help of Comcast, has a solution. It’s called the Beyond School Walls program. The program takes fourth and fifth graders from an elementary school and matches them with employees at a nearby company. The “Littles” meet with their “Bigs” twice a month during the lunch hour at the workplace.
Beyond School Walls began in Philadelphia in 2008 and is now in 12 cities across the country. On Friday, the program launched in Lynnwood, with 26 4th and 5th graders from Woodside Elementary School meeting their “Bigs” for the first time at Comcast’s customer service center and regional headquarters in Lynnwood.
We literally rolled out the red carpet for the “Littles,” pretending they were Hollywood stars arriving at the Oscars. Each “Little” received a pair of sunglasses. They were greeted as they came off the bus by Comcast employees pretending they were fans asking for their autographs and by our local television production crew, which shot a video commemorating the occasion. At the end of the red carpet, they met their “Bigs” who were holding up signs with their “Littles” names on them.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, Everett Schools Superintendent Gary Cohn and representatives from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Snohomish County and the YMCA joined us for the launch event. But the real focus of the day was on the kids of Woodside Elementary.
Best of all, it was the perfect ice breaker for the “Bigs” and the “Littles,” who will be meeting through the rest of the school year and possibly for life.
We have a lot of people of all ages who want to volunteer.
Hey, let’s do some thinking ahead! We’re welcoming ideas for Comcast Cares Day 2112. On April 21, 2112, employees, families and friends will volunteer at a dozen sites throughout Washington in groups from 50 to 350.
We’ve done everything from transform small parks and school grounds to repainting and rehabilitating buildings such as youth centers. At this link you can see more than you ever wanted to know about a volunteer day in 2011 to get an idea of what sort of projects we take on.
As you can imagine, these are not everyday volunteer projects. There needs to be a lot of room and a lot of need at the location. Usually, these are pretty big projects either because there’s a lot to do, or a lot of land or building to cover, or both. And this is a family event; we bring a lot of children and set up programs for them too. To be honest, when it comes to choosing locations, there are always one or two areas where we find ourselves without an obvious project. Then we start scrambling to find a site big enough to host all we can do. Surely with some advance notice, the community can help us find the most appropriate sites for this kind of help.
So chances are if you are involved with a nonprofit, school, or other group with a need that big, you know about that need right now.
If you think your group might benefit from that many volunteers on an April weekend, get in touch We’d love to start compiling a list of potential sites and getting on the calendars of groups and locations that would benefit from this volunteerism.
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire explains why Internet and technology access are important at a news conference about Comcast's Internet Essentials.
COMCAST, WASHINGTON GOVERNOR, TACOMA MAYOR, SCHOOL AND NONPROFIT OFFICIALS SHARE BEST-IN-CLASS DIGITAL INCLUSION INITIATIVES TO HELP CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN WASHINGTON STATE
‘Internet Essentials’ to Provide Families with Children Eligible for a Free Lunch under the National School Lunch Program with Low-Cost Internet Service, Affordable Computers and Digital Literacy Training
Update: Here’s some news stories that describe this development:
(Tacoma, WA) Sept. 15, 2011 – Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, Tacoma School Board President Kurt Miller, Tacoma Urban League CEO (and City Councilwoman) Victoria Woodards, Tacoma Housing Authority Executive Director Michael Mirra and Comcast Washington Senior Vice President Len Rozek hosted a briefing today to discuss best-in-class broadband inclusion programs.
At a Tacoma Housing Authority computer center in the Hilltop area of Tacoma, Rozek explained a new national initiative called Internet Essentials, which is being viewed as the most ambitious and comprehensive broadband adoption program in the state and country to date.
The program addresses three primary barriers to broadband adoption:
A lack of understanding of how the Internet is relevant and useful;
The cost of a home computer, and
The cost of high-speed Internet service.
Internet Essentials is available to families living in Comcast’s service areas with children who are eligible to receive a free lunch under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The goal of Internet Essentials is to help ensure more families benefit from all the Internet has to offer.
According to Rozek, “We’re excited to bring broadband and computers to so many young people and families. We have long provided financial and in-kind support to programs promoting digital literacy and increased broadband adoption. To us here in Washington, Internet Essentials takes all that work to a new level. This program has the potential to help thousands of our Washington families cross the digital divide.”
During the briefing at Hillside Terrace, Gov. Gregoire, Mayor Strickland, and other leaders joined Rozek to introduce Internet Essentials and discuss ways to work together to help bridge the digital divide.
“We live in a wired world,” Gov. Gregoire said. “And those who don’t have access to that world are at a real and growing disadvantage. With Internet at home, children can research and complete their homework, adults can seek new or better jobs, and families can explore the world together. I commend Comcast for undertaking this initiative, and encourage other businesses to find new and creative ways to help families succeed.”
“Comcast’s commitment to closing the digital divide is a much needed boost to those who do not have Internet access at home — providing families with important resources that many of us take for granted,” Mayor Strickland said. “The Internet Essentials program is a perfect example of how a local school district, city government and the business community can work together to help families with education, and other quality of life needs that rely on access to information. We’re embracing this in Tacoma.”
“As America increasingly becomes a digital nation, in-classroom learning is being supplemented with digital curriculums and at-home assignments,” said School Board President Miller. “Internet Essentials will help more low-income families benefit from the educational resources and assistance the Internet provides. They will have greater access to the many online programs and educational resources our district has developed to help our students.”
The very first training in Washington State for new users of the Internet will be Tuesday, Sept, 20, conducted by the Tacoma Urban League and its youth Digital Connectors.
“We’re pleased that Comcast wants to bring not only the Internet to these homes, but also knowledge of how the Internet can be used safely,” said Victoria Woodards, CEO and President of the Tacoma Urban League. ”We need parents, educators, community leaders and other government officials to join in this effort, spread the word about Internet Essentials and help increase broadband adoption in our community.”
Service Details:
Qualified Internet Essentials families will receive:
Residential Internet service for $9.95 a month + applicable taxes;
No price increases, no activation fees, or equipment rental fees;
A voucher to purchase a low-cost computer for $149.99 + tax; and
Access to free digital literacy training in print, online, and in person
Additional benefits include a complementary Norton™ Security Suite ($160 value) for comprehensive online security protection.
Eligibility:
A household is eligible to participate in the Internet Essentials program if it meets all of the following criteria:
Is located where Comcast offers Internet service;
Has at least one child who is eligible to receive free school lunch under the NSLP;
As an example, according to the Department of Agriculture, a household of three would have to make less than $25,000 a year in income;
Has not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days;
Does not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment.
Comcast will sign up eligible families in the program for at least three years, through the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Any household that qualifies during this three-year period will remain eligible for Internet Essentials provided a child eligible for a free lunch remains living in the household.
For general information about Internet Essentials, please visit www.internetessentials.com for English and visit www.internetbasico.com for Spanish. Educators or third-parties interested in helping to spread the word can find more information at www.internetessentials.com/partner. Parents looking to enroll in the program can call 1-855-846-8376 or, for Spanish, 1-855-765-6995.
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 3,300 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.
There’s been a lot written about Internet Essentials; visit our corporate blog for more announcements in other states and more information about the program.
The Federal Way Advancing Leadership Youth Class of 2012
Comcast was a founding sponsor of the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce’s wonderful youth leadership program. We’re honored to help sponsor Advancing Leadership Youth again this year. Though this yearlong program, the future leaders of tomorrow meet with the present leaders of today. Both groups emerge at the end of the year with many learnings from each other. The Federal Way Mirror acknowledged the program in this week’s Wednesday issue, and below you’ll find a news release from our community partner, the chamber. We’re delighted to be associated with Advancing Leadership Youth again
Federal Way, WA – 8/22/11 – The Federal Way Chamber of Commerce’s Advancing Leadership Youth (ALY) program kicked off its 2011-12 program year last week. At the two-day opening retreat, 32 teens from seven schools identified their leadership styles, learned about economic development in Federal Way, went on a citywide scavenger hunt, met the mayor, heard from local business leaders, pitched their ideas for City of Federal Way tourism campaigns and talked about living their lives in ways that create a legacy for others.
Comcast in Washington State has renewed its partnership with Advancing Leadership Youth for the eighth consecutive year, contributing $7,500 to support ALY 2012’s One Day Federal Way (1DFW), a team project that focuses the students’ leadership training on helping a targeted population in a significant way. The ALY 2011 1DFW brought out over 300 volunteers – mostly teenagers – to provide major upgrades to three low-income schools, including extensive cleaning, interior painting and exterior landscaping. Comcast was the first company to partner with ALY, and thus far has contributed $172,000 plus donated media valued at $225,000.
GlobalScholar, a Bellevue-based education solutions company, is the newest ALY partner, contributing $5,000 to the program. GlobalScholar learned about Advancing Leadership though it’s work with Federal Way Public Schools, and saw a clear alignment between the program and it’s corporate focus on supporting comprehensive, life-long learning that extends beyond classrooms.
Students in the ALY 2012 class will continue to meet monthly during the school year, addressing different topics each month, visiting different sites and working with over 100 leaders. For more information, visit www.advancingleadership.org.
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