Comcast today announced that, for the fourth consecutive year, it will underwrite the costs associated with "Beyond School Walls", the innovative youth mentoring program in which it collaborates with Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters. The program, which allows children from the Lincoln Elementary School in New Britain to spend time with mentors - Big Brothers and Big Sisters - at Comcast's regional headquarters in Berlin, Connecticut, will be holding its last gathering of this academic year on June 7th.
At the outset, funding for "Beyond School Walls" came from Comcast's national office. This year, however, Comcast's regional office is funding the program. Comcast has also pledged to help advance Nutmeg's mission of bettering the lives of Connecticut children in need through continued active membership on the organization's Board of Directors, and support for its ongoing fundraising efforts.
Comcast and Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters together launched the "Beyond School Walls" program in 2010. Each year, the program has matched 20 + students from New Britain's Lincoln Elementary School with 20 + Comcast employees for bi-monthly, ninety-minute mentoring sessions at Comcast's Western New England regional headquarters in Berlin, where the matches bond, explore academic topics, play games and work together on projects that benefit local groups and communities. The program is sponsored by Comcast and managed on a day-to-day basis by Nutmeg.
"We are extremely grateful to Comcast for sponsoring and nurturing this great, innovative program," said Andy Fleischmann, President and CEO of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters. "News of this pledge of support from our friends at Comcast comes at an extremely opportune time, given that the final 'Beyond School Walls' session for this school year will be held on June 7th. Thanks to Comcast's generosity, we now know the program will be back again this fall. And when you consider just how much it has benefitted the nearly 60 children in need who've taken part so far in this unique mentoring experience, it's easy to understand our hope that 'Beyond School Walls' continues for many years to come."
"It's long been our corporate policy to invest in worthwhile programs that have a positive, sustainable impact on the communities in which we do business," said Kristen Roberts, Vice President of Public Relations and Community Investment for Comcast's Western New England Region. "As a mentor, or 'Big Sister', in the 'Beyond School Walls' program at our Berlin, CT office, I see firsthand the tremendous impact it has on young people in need. I'm thrilled to work for a company that continues to power dreams in our communities - especially for the 'Beyond School Walls' future participants."
Comcast is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services. For more information on Comcast, go to: www.comcast.com.
Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the longest established mentoring organization in the world - founded in 1904. It helps children from single- and no-parent homes avoid negative behaviors and reach their highest potential. Nutmeg does this by creating and maintaining one-on-one relationships between children in need and professionally-screened, inspirational adult volunteers. Based in Hartford, Nutmeg was founded in 1966. It's funded, in part, by United Way organizations. It serves thousands of kids in 111 of the state's 169 municipalities. Help Nutmeg save young lives by volunteering, donating or partnering with us. Like Nutmeg on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NBBBS?ref-ts. Follow Nutmeg on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBBSNutmeg.
