(Washington, DC)  Nearly 200 Comcast employee volunteers and their families will join together for the fourth annual Comcast Cares Day on Saturday, October 2, 2004, from 9 am to 1 pm at the Benning Stoddert Recreation Center located at 4301 East Capitol Street, SE in the District.

Comcast employees in the District of Columbia and their families will dedicate their time to improve, clean and enhance the Benning Stoddert Recreation Center as part of Comcast Cares Day.  This is also a very special Comcast Cares project because City Year volunteers will join Comcast and will begin their crusade toward building stronger communities in the District.  Volunteers will engage in a number of service projects at the Benning Stoddert Recreation Center that include landscaping, repairing athletic equipment and restoring picnic areas.  

Comcast Cares Day is a national day of community service that brings out Comcast employees from across the United States in a unified effort to make lasting improvements in our communities that will have a positive effect on area residents.  Last year, Comcast employees contributed over 150,000 volunteer hours in one day spanning from Manchester, New Hampshire to Los Angeles, California.  In 2003, more than 25,000 Comcast employees and their families participated in the third annual Comcast Cares Day, volunteering in more than 228 projects in their communities.

This year nearly 30,000 employee volunteers are expected to work on projects in 32 States and the District of Columbia.  Since becoming a national program in 2001, Comcast employees and their family members contributed more than 225,000 volunteer hours – the equivalent of more than 25 years of service – to support hundreds of community initiatives on Comcast Cares Day.

“With partnerships such as this one with Comcast, we will be able to make good on our pledge to provide our youth with clean and healthy environments and positive activities that encourage them to grow as athletes, scholars and people” said Mayor Anthony Williams.

“At Comcast, we have always believed that giving back to the community is important,” said Comcast Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brian L. Roberts. “We’re extremely proud of our employees who have generously given of their time and talents to impact their neighborhoods on Comcast Cares Day and throughout the year.  "We're also excited to have the opportunity to work alongside so many community partners to make a difference."

“It is exciting to see that Comcast Cares Day has grown into one of our signature community and volunteer service programs,” said Tony Hollinger, Vice President and General Manager for Comcast of the District of Columbia.  “The District was the site of the first Comcast Cares Day volunteer initiative at Anacostia Senior High School in 2001.  Every one of our employees is making a lasting impact on the community in the District, and this is a worthwhile initiative that we pledge to continue in the future.”

“This once again shows how joint ventures can underscore the value of creative partnerships to expand opportunities for District residents within their own neighborhoods,” said Neil Stanley, Interim Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation.”

In addition to the day of service on October 2nd, Comcast employees volunteer year-round for a variety of projects and organizations through the company’s Comcast Cares program.  For more information about DC Parks and Recreation visit its web site at: dpr.dc.gov or call (202) 673-7647.