My First Comcast Cares Day

By Dalila Wilson-Scott, Senior Vice President, Community Investment/Corporate Social Responsibility, Comcast NBCUniversal in Community Investment

It’s hard to believe that I joined Comcast only a few short weeks ago and how much I’ve experienced already, from the company reporting great first quarter earnings, to NBCUniversal announcing its acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, to my participation in my first Comcast Cares Day where we combine our culture of teamwork and commitment to improve neighborhoods nationwide and around the world. 

Comcast Cares Day, which took place on Saturday, April 30, was particularly rewarding for me as I experienced first-hand our company’s 15-year tradition of giving back to the communities we serve. This year alone we were fortunate to have more than 100,000 employees, friends and family in 21 countries join in at more than 930 meaningful volunteer project sites. But as impressive as those numbers are, there is no substitute for the actual experience. 

My day of volunteerism started bright and early in New York City, at P.S. 149 in Harlem. I was about a block away when I heard the City Year corps members cheering on the droves of volunteers as we made our way to the various project sites inside. There was an incredible mural taking shape, bringing life and splashes of color to school walls as well as stacks of lumber being set up and carried out to a courtyard where they would soon become chess tables, picnic tables and benches. It was so impactful to hear directly from corps members who spent many days in P.S. 149 and who couldn’t wait until the students walked in on Monday to see their refreshed campus. They knew right away that we were really making a difference for the students who call P.S. 149 home, and they were committed to maintaining everything we were helping to build that day. 

The other part of the morning that really stood out for me was how many families and friends joined employees on Comcast Cares Day. Many of my new colleagues were there, including from NBC, Telemundo, the TODAY Show, MSNBC, and Comcast, and we all donned the same green shirt as we worked together to make P.S. 149 a better place for the students it serves. They deserve at least that and I was so proud to know that Comcast NBCUniversal helped play a role and inspired so many to spend a little time with us to make change happen one project at a time. 

And while Comcast Cares Day is behind us for this year, it is just one of the many ways we come together as a company to give back and perhaps one of the more powerful symbols of our incredible culture. That’s why we also partnered this Comcast Cares Day with Red Nose Day and Global Citizen – to provide our employees with additional ways to make a positive difference. I know many of you will continue to stay engaged in community service throughout the year, and I sincerely thank you for your commitment. It’s been a truly incredible ride my first month here at Comcast NBCUniversal, and while it will be difficult to top, I’m looking forward to the opportunities ahead to work with even more of our community partners.

This article first appeared on Comcast Voices, a place for conversations with Comcast. Read more blogs about our impact in the community here.