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2014 | Doing Business in Connecticut 49 SPONSORED REPORT Relations and Community Investment in Comcast's Western New England Region. "Some of the national partners we work closely with on local initiatives include United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the National Urban League, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Easter Seals." Sponsorships and grants are only part of the way Comcast gives back to Connecti- cut communities. They also facilitate hands- on projects that make a real difference. Comcast Cares Day Comcast Cares Day, the nation's largest single-day corporate volunteer effort, is an annual company-wide day of service. This April, over 80,000 volunteers donated their time at more than 800 projects around the globe during the 13th Comcast Cares Day. Locally, approximately 650 Con- necticut employees rolled up their sleeves alongside friends, family and community partners to paint, landscape, and perform other clean-up projects at eleven com- munity sites across the state, including the Valley Shore YMCA in Westbrook, the East Hartford YMCA/Larson Community Center, Quinnipiac Elementary School in New Haven, the Seymour Boys & Girls Club, Middlesex YMCA / Camp Ingersoll in Portland and Lincoln Elementary School in New Britain, to name a few. "On Comcast Cares Day, Comcast does an outstanding job of shining the spotlight on community service," said Andy Fleischmann, President and CEO of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters. "And, for Comcast, community service is much more than a one day event. It's a way of life. We've witnessed this firsthand in the long mentoring partnership we've shared. Year in and year out, Comcast is a reliable and innovative supporter of the communities it serves — here in New England and nationwide. We're grateful for our partnership with Comcast, an or- ganization that clearly cares about social responsibility." Comcast Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship Program The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program is one of the Comcast Foundation's signature community invest- ment programs, recognizing students' leadership skills, academic achievement and commitment to community service. This year, 44 Connecticut high school students were awarded a total of $53,000 in scholarships. Since 2002, Comcast has awarded nearly $500,000 in Leaders & Achievers Scholarships to over 450 students in Connecticut. Mentoring Comcast also champions mentoring and building tomorrow's leaders. A few of their Connecticut initiatives this year include: • Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters "Beyond School Walls" – this site-based mentoring program pairs 25 students from Lincoln Elementary School in New Britain with 25 Comcast employees. The program is in its fifth year and the mentors/mentees meet twice a month throughout the school year at Comcast's Western New England Regional Headquarters in Berlin, CT. • US FIRST Robotics – For the second year, Comcast Engineering leaders donated their time and helped to mentor Connecti- cut high school teams for this national ro- botics competition, including Team Athena from Hartford and award-winning team Elm City Robo Squad out of New Haven. • Junior Achievement Job Shadowing – For the second consecutive year, ap- proximately 20 students from Berlin High School participated in a job shadowing program with employees from Comcast's regional office in Berlin. This year, three students from Jr. Apprentice in Hartford also attended. By way of interactive participation, the job shadow program introduces students to the requirements of professions and industries to help them prepare to join the workforce. Bridging the Digital Divide Closing the digital divide has long been a priority for Comcast and in 2011, Internet Essentials was launched. Internet Essentials is the nation's largest and most compre- hensive broadband adoption program and focuses on connecting more low-income Americans to the Internet. The program pro- vides eligible families with low-cost broad- band service for $9.95 a month; the option to purchase a full-service, Internet ready computer for under $150; and multiple op- tions for digital literacy training. Comcast Cares Day, April 26, 2014 at Quinnipiac Elementary School, New Haven. Contact Comcast Western New England Region Headquarters: Berlin, CT Leader: Mary McLaughlin, Regional Senior Vice President CT Communities Served: 83 CT Employees: 1,200+ CT Call Center: Enfield, CT CT Service Centers: 10, including 3 Xfinity Service Centers in Clinton, Cromwell and Danbury Xfinity Products & Services: www.comcast.com/xfinity or 1-800-XFINITY Comcast Business: www.business.comcast.com or 1-866-519-5381