PANAMA CITY, FL -- In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, which devastated parts of the Florida Panhandle and surrounding areas, Comcast NBCUniversal has committed to provide $700,000 to support relief efforts, including cash and in-kind contributions.
As part of this commitment, Comcast NBCUniversal is making a $350,000 cash donation to the Florida Disaster Fund, the State of Florida’s official private fund established to assist communities as they respond to and recover during times of emergency or disaster, including Hurricane Michael. The company is also donating $350,000 worth of advertising on its cable systems to run public service announcements for the Florida Disaster Fund to help relief organizations get important information out to local communities regarding disaster recovery efforts.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the destruction and damage caused by Hurricane Michael across the Florida Panhandle, and our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted,” said Comcast Regional Senior Vice President Amy Smith. “Comcast has a long history of serving communities and people throughout the state of Florida, and we are committed to supporting relief and restoration efforts across the Panhandle during this challenging time.”
Comcast NBCUniversal’s pledge is part of the company’s commitment to providing a combination of financial and additional resources to assist the Florida Panhandle. As the storm approached, Comcast opened its network of more than 8,000 Xfinity WiFi hotspots in the area to help residents and emergency workers, whether or not they were Xfinity customers, stay connected for free. The company also sent its Xfinity WiFi van to Tallahassee and Panama City to provide free wireless internet service to those impacted by the storm. Additionally, the networks of NBCUniversal, including NBC, Telemundo and Telemundo owned stations, provided information to viewers on how they could contribute to relief efforts. The company will continue to identify ways to give back as the community begins to rebuild.
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