More than 15 years ago, one of my reporting assignments took me to Bosnia to meet with U.S. ground troops and hear their firsthand accounts of the ongoing conflict and struggle for peace in that country. I recall one of the service members sharing how their mission was vital for many reasons – including to help build brighter futures for Bosnia’s children.
That experience still sticks with me today, and it is why I was honored to help tell the story of Comcast employee Elvis Becirovic, who was born in Bosnia and spent his childhood trying to survive the war that ravaged his country, as well as his family. With the help of the Refugee & Immigrant Center in Sandy, Utah – which is one of thousands of nonprofit organizations supported by United Way – Elvis and his mother were able to rebuild their lives here in the United States. Elvis shared his experience in support of Comcast and NBCUniversal’s United Way annual campaign, which seeks to mobilize our employees to pledge support to the local communities where we all live and work.
Elvis this year joined two other Comcast and NBCUniversal employees in our employee video, which I invite you to watch above. Veronica Wright, an administrative assistant from our XFINITY® Home product team in Philadelphia, realized her dream of homeownership about 20 years ago thanks to support from Habitat for Humanity. Kye Martin, traffic reporter for NBC5 Chicago, became a passionate advocate to help expecting mothers get their families off to a healthy start after experiencing the struggles of her own twin sons’ preterm birth.
Together, these three employees embody the vitality of United Way in all our communities – from lending a hand in a time of need, to inspiring us to become champions for social causes that ignite our passions. Comcast has been partnering with United Way since shortly after our company’s founding more than 50 years ago, and our relationship continues to strengthen our local communities with each passing year. Thanks to the generosity of my colleagues at Comcast and NBCUniversal, I know we will continue to make a positive difference in the lives of people who need our support the most.