There's an immediate need to support those impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy — whether they are residents of impacted areas, first responders, emergency personnel, or relief organizations that support communities in need. Given the urgency, Comcast and NBCUniversal are partnering on a special benefit telethon, "Hurricane Sandy:Coming Together" to air tonight on the networks of NBCUniversal and across dozens of cable and broadcast stations; as well as On Demand, online and mobile platforms through the weekend.
NBC "Today" anchor Matt Lauer will host the benefit, which will be broadcast from the New York studios of NBC at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. It will feature all-star performances from Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, Christina Aguilera and others, and will air live from 8-9pm ET (tape-delayed on the West Coast).
During the concert, viewers will be encouraged to donate to the American Red Cross. People can donate by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-HELPNOW or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Financial donations help the American Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy.
In partnership with NBCUniversal, Comcast is extensively promoting and featuring the benefit to help drive donations. In addition to featuring the live stream and the replay on Xfinity.com/TV, Xfinity TV customers will be able to view the telethon through the weekend on Xfinity On Demand and on the Xfinity TV Player apps for Apple devices and Android devices. Comcast also plans to drive awareness of the event via Xfinity On Demand, editorial coverage on the Xfinity.com homepage, on Facebook and Twitter.
To help residents and emergency personnel with the aftermath of the storm, Comcast has opened its Xfinity WiFi hotspots where available along the East Coast to anyone who needs them, even if they are not customers. In addition, Comcast is offering the use of power strips in 22 payment center locations in Greater Philadelphia and across New Jersey, as well as two Xfinity Service Centers in Connecticut, so that residents who are still without power can recharge their mobile devices.
Our heartfelt thoughts are with all of those affected by the storm. For more information on the American Red Cross, please visit www.redcross.org or its blog at http://blog.redcross.org. And for more details on the telethon, please visit www.Xfinity.com.
Update: The American Red Cross and NBCUniversal announced that "Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together," a live, one-hour benefit telethon, generated nearly $23 million in support of victims impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Thanks to everyone who donated to this worthy cause.