Comcast Foundation Awards $617,000 In 2014 To 30 Nonprofits In Keystone Region

EXTON, Pa., Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comcast Foundation announced today that it awarded $617,000 in grants to 30 nonprofit organizations in Comcast's Keystone Region in 2014. The grants support programs aimed at the Comcast Foundation's areas of focus – expanding digital literacy, promoting community service, and building tomorrow's leaders. Comcast's Keystone Region includes portions of northeastern, central and western Pennsylvania, the Maryland panhandle, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia.

Strong Women, Strong Girls (SWSG) Executive Director Sabrina Saunders said: "With support from the Comcast Foundation, we were able to expand our volunteer efforts by training 210 college women who mentor close to 600 girls in grades 3-5 at 32 partner elementary schools and community centers throughout Allegheny County. The commitment the Comcast Foundation has made to women and girls enables SWSG mentors to meet with girls from underserved communities weekly for 90-minute programming sessions to combat the dangers of low self-esteem which ultimately helps prepare them for lifelong success."

Easter Seals Western and Central Pennsylvania's President and CEO James G. Bennett added, "With Comcast's financial commitment we are now able to expand our Empowerment Program in the Capital Region. There is a crucial need for people with disabilities to gain meaningful employment, and we realize that knowing where to start can be challenging.  We are thrilled that Comcast's commitment to this cause will allow us to reach a greater audience and strengthen our job training opportunities."  

"The Boys & Girls Clubs of NEPA's Club Tech Program is part of our After School Program, which has proven to be a fun way of teaching our Club members relevant technology that will help them succeed in life. We are appreciative of Comcast's investment in this program, and especially our kids," said Tricia DiBiasi Thomas, Club executive director.

The organizations receiving Comcast Foundation grants include:

• Berks Women in Crises ($25,000)
• Best of the Batch Foundation ($10,000)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Beaver County ($10,000)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region ($15,000)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Centre County ($10,000)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh ($30,000)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lackawanna County ($10,000)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lawrence County ($10,000)
• Boys & Girls Club of Chambersburg ($15,000)
• Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania ($30,000)
• Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster ($15,000)
• Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Pennsylvania ($15,000)
• Centro Hispano, Reading ($20,000)
• Easter Seals of Western and Central Pennsylvania ($15,000)
• The Foundation for Enhancing Communities ($10,000)
• Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania ($50,000)
• Hope Station, Carlisle ($10,000)
• Imani Christian Academy ($10,000)
• Japan-American Society of Pennsylvania ($25,000)
• The Joshua Group ($15,000)
• Lancaster Country Day School ($10,000)
• Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club, Morgantown ($7,000)
• The Neighborhood Academy ($10,000)
• Olivet Boys & Girls Club, Reading ($15,000)
• Poise Foundation ($10,000)
• Sarah Heinz Boys & Girls Club, Pittsburgh ($20,000)
• Spanish American Civic Association, Lancaster ($25,000)
• Strong Women, Strong Girls, Pittsburgh  ($10,000)
• Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh ($150,000)
• York College (York Country Day School ) ($10,000)

Including the support in the Keystone Region, The Comcast Foundation has donated more than $18 million in 2014 to nonprofit organizations in the communities it serves nationwide. In addition to the grants from the Comcast Foundation, Comcast also responds to community needs through local sponsorships and in-kind support, such as airing public service announcements, employee volunteerism, and providing technology equipment and services to organizations across the country.

For these and other community efforts, for the second consecutive year Comcast NBCUniversal was recognized as one of America's most community-minded companies by The Civic 50, an annual initiative that identifies and recognizes companies for their commitment to improve the quality of life in the communities where they do business. The company also ranked first among its communications industry peers. Points of Light, the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service, conducted the survey in partnership with Bloomberg LP. The Civic 50 was created in 2012 to measure corporate civic engagement and recognize companies that incorporate socially responsible practices and community leadership into their culture.

About the 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 service, expanding digital literacy, and building tomorrow's leaders. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated nearly $158 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.

SOURCE Comcast Cable