Community Impact
In Step with Ryan Seacrest's Voice at Children's Hospital
Super host Ryan Seacrest was the headliner. Teen sensation Selena Gomez wowed the crowd. NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke knew it was an important place to be. And The Comcast Foundation was thrilled to be involved...
Seacrest and Gomez dropped in on the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia this past Friday to power up THE VOICE, an interactive multimedia broadcast studio created by the Ryan Seacrest Foundation for use by CHOP's young patients.
And I'm really pleased to add that The Comcast Foundation and NBCU Foundation played a big role bringing THE VOICE to Philadelphia. The Foundation's gift of $250,000 will support educational programs at THE VOICE Philadelphia over the next five years. Burke, who is a member of the CHOP Board of Trustees, was on hand for the dedication.
Comcast's community investment strategy is focused on powering dreams in the communities where we live and work. And we believe THE VOICE will do just that in Philadelphia, our corporate hometown. It provides young patients with an opportunity to participate in radio, TV and new media activities while staying at the hospital. They can try their "voice" at broadcasting, being a disc jockey and even interviewing special guests.
When we heard about THE VOICE we knew it would be an excellent way to help make a hospital stay a little easier for a young patient while maybe launching a few broadcasting careers along the way. That was Ryan Seacrest's inspiration for THE VOICE. The host of E! News and American Idol hopes the facilities—there is one in Atlanta as well—will ignite in a young patient the same spark that launched his mega-career as a radio and TV personality.
"I'm excited to bring THE VOICE to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia," Seacrest told the media Friday. We are excited for CHOP as well. It is one of the best children's hospitals in the country, known for its care and innovation, and for building programs to support patients' emotional healing. Those efforts align with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation's mission to enhance the quality of life for seriously ill and injured children.
We believe that our investment in the community touches thousands of lives — and supporting this brilliant program is another way to further empower and educate our youth. I especially enjoy hearing from the young people we touch about their experiences and how they now see an even brighter future for themselves. I am now very much looking forward to sharing stories with you about the participants at CHOP and how they are having fun with THE VOICE program, learning more about multi-media and entertainment, learning new skills, finding their voice, and powering their own dreams.
Thanks to the Ryan Seacrest Foundation for bringing a VOICE to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. We are so happy to help.