As our state copes with the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis and our changing social environments, we continue to contribute to and partner with local organizations serving communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. We are working with our long-standing community partners who are at the frontline of both the Covid-19 crisis and leading advocates of social and racial justice. What began as $50,000 grants to two key funds in March, has grown to nearly $600,000 of support for local communities. Further, Comcast NBCUniversal announced a number of national campaigns that have had a positive impact in Washington state.
SUPPORTING FRONTLINE COMMUNITY PARTNERS: Many of our community partners are at the frontline of COVID-19 crisis relief. These non-profit organizations include the Asian Counseling and Referral Service, Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County, El Centro de la Raza, United Way of King County, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Greater Seattle Business Association, and more. Our relief efforts have gone to support their programs that:
- Fill the gap for basic needs in our communities across Washington by operating emergency food banks and blood donations.
- Ensure vulnerable families can stay in their homes if they’ve been affected by the economic downturn and unemployment. We also specifically supported the United Way of King County and its Community Relief Fund that is keeping people housed.
- Work with frontline social service organizations so they can continue to operate and provide critical services such as food donations and delivery, shelter, unemployment assistance and health resources. These programs are ensuring individuals and families have basic needs, including utilities and access to the internet and educational opportunities.
PROMOTING ECONOMIC STABILITY & SMALL BUSINESSES: According to a May survey, 81% of U.S. small businesses expect the pandemic to affect their business over the next 12-16 months, and nearly 90% are bracing for an economic slowdown. To support local small businesses adversely impacted by the crisis, we donated $50,000 to the City of Seattle’s Small Business Stabilization Fund and $25,000 to the Greater Seattle Business Association. These programs provide emergency grants to micro-businesses and connect local businesses with the desperately needed financial, operational, and healthcare resources needed now and for the foreseeable future.
PROVIDING SERVICE WHERE PEOPLE NEED IT MOST: We created new programs that helped keep people connected to the internet. This included providing courtesy broadband service to “isolation” or “quarantine” sites in the counties most impacted by the Coronavirus – King and Snohomish County – to ensure individuals whose health is compromised had internet access.
We’re also working to ensure that households and students can access the Internet. As schools remain closed across the country, we helped students finish out the school year from home and remain connected to the internet during the COVID-19 crisis. We do this through Internet Essentials — the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. We made this program free for new customers that signup before June 30 and it is available year-round to low-income households for $9.95/month. For more information, visit www.internetessentials.com.
KEEPING PEOPLE CONNECTED: We’ve contributed $100,000 to organizations such as Cascade Public Media, Washington Technology Industry Association, and Seattle City Club to curate educational webinar content and host virtual events that keep people informed and skilled to promote well-being now and following the pandemic. These activities also helped educate the public on topical issues, like resources for businesses, making virtual meetings more accessibility friendly, leveraging U.S. Census data for your business & nonprofit, and more.
COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on nearly every aspect of our daily lives in Washington. Across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky, we are working hard to do everything we can to support our customers, employees, and communities during this unprecedented time. Important information and updates about Comcast NBC Universal relief efforts can be found at https://corporate.comcast.com/covid-19.