PHILADELPHIA—Comcast NBCUniversal and the Universal Orlando Foundation have announced that they will donate $2 million to support relief and recovery efforts in Florida following the catastrophic flooding and devastating effects of Hurricane Ian.
The commitment includes $1 million in cash and in-kind contributions to the Florida Disaster Fund with the remainder distributed among the Comcast NBCUniversal Employee Assistance Fund, United Way, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, Team Rubicon, and American Red Cross.
Universal Orlando is donating food in partnership with local organizations.
NBCUniversal, Telemundo, and NBC/Telemundo owned TV stations in Florida have also launched a donation and awareness campaign to encourage contributions and support impacted communities.
“Our hearts go out to the people of Florida, including thousands of severely affected employees and customers, during this most challenging time,” said Christine Whitaker, central division president for Comcast Cable. “In this moment, having reliable Internet and mobile connectivity is critical. We are grateful for our teammates who are working around the clock alongside emergency personnel to rebuild and restore these vital connections for Floridian homes, businesses, and communities across the state.”
Ahead of Hurricane Ian making landfall last week, Comcast opened its network of more than 200,000 Xfinity WiFi hotspots in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina for anyone to use, including non-Xfinity customers, for free.
Where commercial power and Xfinity services have been restored, these hotspots remain open to assist residents, businesses, and relief workers in staying connected. In addition, Xfinity has created an On Demand destination where customers can access the latest recovery and response news on X1 and Flex – simply say “Hurricane Ian” into the Xfinity Voice Remote, the company reported.
Through the Comcast NBCUniversal Employee Disaster Assistance Fund, the company is providing grants to employees in need as well as matching employee donations to eligible nonprofit disaster relief organizations through the Comcast NBCUniversal Matching Gift Program, the company said.
