PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
On Saturday, April 22, more than 2,000 local Comcast NBCUniversal employees and their families, friends, and community partners will “make change happen” as they volunteer to improve more than a dozen sites as part of Comcast Cares Day in Oregon & SW Washington. This is the 14th year that Comcast Cares Day has been celebrated in the region, and the 16th anniversary nationwide.
Comcast Cares Day is more than just a day – it’s the culmination of Comcast NBCUniversal’s commitment to volunteerism that began when the company was founded more than 50 years ago. From using technology to create positive change, such as wiring community centers and libraries and teaching digital literacy skills, to mentoring youth, to beautifying parks, Comcast NBCUniversal employees volunteer on this day, and throughout the year, to make a lasting impact. This year, the Company expects more than 100,000 volunteers to participate in approximately 900 projects across the country and around the world. To date, volunteers have contributed nearly 5 million volunteer hours at 7,700 projects since Comcast Cares Day began in 2001.
In Oregon/SW Washington, there are dozens of projects to volunteer for, in communities from Kelso, WA, to Springfield, OR, with the majority of sites located in the Portland metro area. Volunteers can register for projects at www.comcastinthecommunity.com.
In Gresham’s Rockwood neighborhood, nearly 400 volunteers will lend their hands at Hartley Elementary School (in the Reynolds School District). There will be a variety of indoor and outdoor projects for volunteers of all ages, including gardening, construction of picnic tables, soccer goal post installations, washing windows, painting, creating birthday cards for seniors, and more.
In Springfield, nearly 200 volunteers will help break ground and start building foundation for the new "Arc Park" in partnership with The Arc of Lane County. Volunteers will begin to transform a large field adjacent to The Arc of Lane County’s facilities into an enjoyable park space that will be built with accessibility in mind for those with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Indoor tasks will include cleaning and painting the community area and classrooms. There will be projects for all ability levels.
Other Comcast Cares Day projects in the region include:
- Removing invasive species at LeRoy Haagen Park in Vancouver.
- Making blankets for vulnerable children with the Binky Patrol at Beaverton High School in Beaverton.
- Repacking food and working in the community garden at the Oregon Food Bank headquarters in Portland.
- Completing a variety of indoor and outdoor projects in Portland at the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), including garden activities, parking lot cleanup, and creating “care kits” for women and families affected by domestic violence.
- Beautifying the grounds, deep-cleaning and organizing indoor spaces, and painting at the Boys & Girls Clubs Swegle Branch in Salem.
“As we celebrate Comcast Cares Day this year, we are so proud to partner with our local nonprofits and schools to give back to our community,” said Rodrigo Lopez, Regional Senior Vice President. “It’s truly amazing what’s possible when 2,000 volunteers donate their time to make a difference in the lives of others. I’m inspired by the community’s response to Comcast Cares Day, and I am so thankful for the participants who help to make this effort a success today and throughout the year.”
The Comcast Foundation will also provide grants to local community partner organizations across the country on behalf of everyone who volunteers on Comcast Cares Day. The grants will help Comcast’s community partners continue their mission of serving the community throughout the year. To date, the Comcast Foundation has awarded more than $20 million in grants to local non-profit organizations who have served as partners on Comcast Cares Day.
Additionally, Comcast will once again fold in the broad support and amplification of Global Citizen and Red Nose Day, organizations aiming to end extreme poverty globally and in the United States. These organizations use the universal language of music and entertainment as a vehicle to engage people around the world to make a difference. By amplifying our support of these initiatives on Comcast Cares Day, Comcast NBCUniversal is providing additional ways to help drive positive change in our communities.
For more information on Comcast NBCUniversal volunteer and community investment initiatives, visit www.comcast.com/community.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
About the Comcast Foundation
The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified nonprofit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities. The Foundation has three community investment priorities—expanding digital literacy, promoting community service, and building tomorrow’s leaders. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated more than $195 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/community.
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