Comcast Donates $50,000 to Western Massachusetts Tornado Relief Efforts

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., June 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the devastating tornadoes that touched down in Western Massachusetts and caused widespread damage at the beginning of this month, Comcast today announced a Comcast Foundation contribution of $50,000 to the Western Massachusetts Tornado Relief Efforts being administered by the United Way of the Pioneer Valley.  

"We are strongly committed to the communities we serve in Western Massachusetts and to our customers and employees who are in need," said Mary McLaughlin, a Western Massachusetts resident and Senior Vice President of Comcast's Western New England Region, which includes Western Massachusetts.  "Our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted by this tragedy and we are hopeful our contribution will help those hit the hardest with their personal needs and will also support the restoration efforts taking place across the Greater Springfield area."

"Comcast and the United Way have a longstanding relationship," said Dora Robinson, Executive Director of the United Way of Pioneer Valley. "Comcast has been very supportive of the United Way and its programs and we are very grateful to Comcast for making such funds available for the recovery efforts in our area. The tornados caused tremendous devastation and this gift will be used to help many families. Thank you!"

"I want to thank the people of Comcast for their generous help in the rebuild efforts," said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.  "It is so important in times like these that we turn to each other for support, and I am proud to see Comcast and dozens of other organizations stepping up to provide that critical assistance."  

Comcast is also making a $1,000 donation to The Evangelical Covenant Church in Springfield for allowing the company to use its parking lot as a staging area for their construction engineers and technicians as they rebuilt the area network.

In addition to cash contributions and rebuilding efforts, Comcast installed complimentary video, phone and Internet services to shelters at the MassMutual Center and Moses Building at the Big E Fairgrounds for local residents who were left homeless due to the severity of the damage at their homes. Comcast also assisted Square One, a local child care center in Springfield, with an urgent need for services at their new location.  

Comcast and its local employees worked around the clock to restore communication services to the towns of Monson, Springfield, Westfield and West Springfield, resulting in full services being restored to a vast majority of customers.

About 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 more than $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/community.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the world's leading media, entertainment, and communications companies. 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.

SOURCE Comcast Cable

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