Corporate
Comcast Promotes Youth Leadership Development and Training With $2.2 Million Commitment to City Year, Inc.
Boston, MA and Philadelphia, PA
Comcast Becomes City Year's National Leadership Development and Training Partner, Launches the Comcast Leadership Awards, and Continues to Provide Several Million Dollars In Donated Airtime for City Year Public Service Announcements
City Year, Inc., the Boston-based national youth service organization that unites a diverse corps of young adults from the ages of 17-24 for a demanding year of full-time community service, leadership development and civic engagement has received a pledge of $2.2 million from Comcast Corporation, the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. The three-year commitment, to be funded through The Comcast Foundation, represents a $1 million increase over Comcast's initial grant to City Year in 2002 and will fund an expansion of the Leadership Training Programs at City Year's 15 sites nationwide as Comcast becomes the organization's National Leadership Development and Training Partner. The training programs include Leadership Academies, and retreats for 17-to-24-year-old corps members, as well as workshops and roundtable explorations of leadership issues.
"Over the past two years Comcast has shown great commitment to City Year and its mission," said City Year CEO Alan Khazei. "We are very pleased that Comcast is expanding its investment in the work of City Year and its corps members."
"City Year and Comcast share a strong commitment to public service and motivating young people to achieve their full potential," said Brian L. Roberts, Comcast's Chairman and CEO. "By enabling our youth to be more responsible citizens today, and more effective leaders for the future, City Year is making a positive difference in communities all across the country -- and we are proud to partner with them in this effort."
In addition to the expanded Leadership Training Program, the increased grant will fund the newly created Comcast Leadership Awards, which will be launched in 2005. The awards will recognize City Year alumni who have maintained their commitment to community service and excellence, and continue to exemplify City Year's core values of teamwork, responsibility, diversity, respect for others, leadership, innovation, and personal growth. Winners will be selected by a panel of Comcast and City Year employees from participating cities.
Additionally, Comcast will continue its in-kind commitment to City Year, providing a substantial schedule of free airtime and production of public service announcements that provide visibility and increase awareness of City Year's programs and mission.
David L. Cohen, Executive Vice President, Comcast Corporation and a member of City Year's National Board, said, "City Year has been a terrific partner for Comcast across the United States. We are so proud of the hundreds of joint community projects completed each year by City Year and Comcast volunteers. It is so rewarding to be supporting and personally involved with youth leadership development."
About Comcast
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com) is the nation's leading rovider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 21.5 million cable customers and 7 million high-speed Internet customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable networks and in the delivery of programming content. The Company's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, Outdoor Life Network, G4, International Channel Networks, TV One and four Comcast SportsNets. The Company also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia
About The Comcast Foundation
The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 and is the company's chief source of charitable support to qualified non-profit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs that work to create a positive, sustainable impact within our communities in the areas of volunteerism, literacy, reading and youth leadership development. Since its inception, The Comcast Foundation has donated more than $18 million to organizations in the communities where Comcast serves. More information about The Foundation and its programs is available at http://www.comcast.com under "In the Community."
About City Year
City Year unites a diverse corps of young adults, ages 17 to 24, for a demanding year of full-time community service, leadership development and civic engagement. Founded in Boston in 1988, City Year has established programs in Boston; Chicago; Cleveland; Columbia, SC; Columbus; Detroit; Little Rock; New Hampshire; New York; Philadelphia; Rhode Island; San Antonio; San Jose/Silicon Valley; Seattle/King County and Washington, D.C., as well as in Johannesburg, South Africa. City Year is a proud member of AmeriCorps. Visit http://www.cityyear.org for more information.