Comcast NBCUniversal employees will join forces on April 22 for the 16th annual Comcast Cares Day, a huge volunteer day of service in which the company’s employees and their families give back to their communities around the world. More than 450 Comcast NBCUniversal employees, family and friends will converge on El Centro de la Raza on April 22 to conduct street-side beautification projects in the historic Beacon Hill business district as well as at the organization’s own low-income housing development.
The El Centro de la Raza project is one of about 30 happening across Washington state on April 22. More than 3,000 Comcast NBCUniversal volunteers, family and friends are expected to make an impact on their local communities that day in Washington.
El Centro de la Raza project activities include:
- In the business district, teams will wash windows, pressure-wash sidewalks, construct planter boxes and update signage. Work will be done in conjunction with the Beacon Hill Merchants Association.
- On the El Centro campus, volunteers will clean the grounds, wash windows, perform exterior paint touch-ups and landscaping as well as build computer stations/labs on different floors of the housing development.
- Arts and crafts projects will be available to encourage participation from families who live onsite in addition to preparing the development for its upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
Comcast NBCUniversal is deeply invested in El Centro de la Raza, a multi-service nonprofit, and has supported its vision to build a community-centered development that serves as a neighborhood anchor in Seattle’s Beacon Hill. The development, known as Plaza Roberto Maestas, provides affordable housing for 110 low-income families (some of which are Comcast Internet Essentials subscribers), commercial space for locally-owned businesses, bilingual childcare and pre-K education, a cultural center and event space, work lofts, and a 13,000-square foot public outdoor plaza for which Comcast custom-installed public XFINITY WiFi.
“We’re extremely honored to partner with Comcast for Comcast Cares Day and work together to strengthen our community,” said Estela Ortega, executive director of El Centro de la Raza. “We are grateful to all of the Comcast volunteers, staff and the community volunteers and their families who will be donating their time to help make a difference in the lives of others.”
“These projects will save El Centro de la Raza tens of thousands of dollars in maintenance and upkeep that could not have been done otherwise,” Ortega noted. “El Centro de la Raza relies on volunteers year-round in countless ways to help serve over 16,452 individuals in our 49 programs and services annually. Mil gracias to Comcast for being a philanthropic partner in the work we do.”
Last year, Comcast NBCUniversal contributed more than $185,000 in total cash and in-kind donations toward this new neighborhood hub. Comcast NBCUniversal also funded mobile vendor carts to support budding microbusinesses activated during festivals and farmer’s markets in the Plaza. Point-of-sale transactions will be supported by the XFINITY WiFi network. “Smart” technology equipment for the cultural center, and contributions toward El Centro’s capital campaign rounded out the contributions.
These collaborative efforts with El Centro de la Raza help ensure Comcast has a presence in a strategic growth neighborhood in Seattle, while providing a superior customer and visitor experience to the entire El Centro de la Raza campus.
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 to mentoring youth and 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 around the world. Since Comcast Cares Day began in 2001, volunteers have contributed nearly five million volunteer hours at 7,700 projects.
Note: The event has not taken place yet, so of course the photos come from another project: our Rainier Beach cleanup in 2016.
