I partnered with Comcast© to share my Comcast Cares Day 2019 experience; all opinions are my own.

I love the idea of volunteering in my community to help others, but like many of you, I find that I have more heart for volunteering than I have time. That’s why I was happy to be granted the opportunity to volunteer recently during Comcast Cares Day. It’s a one day, concentrated community support effort that in 2019 saw 3000 volunteers finish 35 projects supporting 27 different nonprofit organizations.


“Comcast Cares is part of our mission to give back to the communities we serve. I am inspired by our employees, and their families and friends who take this time to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of so many Washingtonians.”


Amy Lynch, Comcast Washington Senior Regional Vice President via Comcast Cares Day Unites Thousands of Volunteers across ….

Hygiene Kits for Homeless – My Comcast Cares Day 2019 Experience

I visited the Comcast Cares Day website and read through all of the available volunteer options. I found several that fit my abilities, my schedule, and were within driving distance. I settled on one that would have me helping to assemble hygiene kits for the homeless at a Comcast Call Center in Fife, WA. I signed up online and then showed up the day of the event.

WHY HOMELESSNESS?

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 30 out of every 10,000 people experienced homelessness in Washington state in 2018, and of those, 22,304 — 35 percent — were chronically homeless, with 60 percent staying in unsheltered locations such as in a tent or on the street.

The 2018 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress. Washington, DC: HUD Office of Community Planning and Development via Comcast Cares Day Unites Thousands of Volunteers across ….
Joining together to help homeless children - COMCAST CARES DAY 2019 - My Volunteer Experience #ComcastCaresDay ad

From the outside, the Comcast building was a nondescript warehouse-style structure. But the inside was colorful and filled with excitement as volunteers were signed in, given an event t-shirt, and guided to a balloon filled area to hear the opening remarks by the project’s coordinator. There we learned that our hygiene kits filled with personal care items that homeless men, women, and children need, would be distributed by the Tacoma Rescue Mission

I worked on the children’s hygiene kits which included everything a child needs for his or her basic care – shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, lip balm, deodorant, comb, socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss picks, and a washcloth. We placed each completed kit inside a brightly colored bag that doubled as a backpack making it easy for kids to carry.

Handwritten notes of encouragement are included in each hygiene kit - COMCAST CARES DAY 2019 - My Volunteer Experience #ComcastCaresDay ad

Each kit also included a handwritten note of encouragement provided by a volunteer. It was such a special touch, and we completed each note with love and care. I hope the children who receive them feel the kindness the letters are meant to bestow.

Volunteers created 800 hygiene kits for homeless men, women & children  - COMCAST CARES DAY 2019 - My Volunteer Experience #ComcastCaresDay ad

Once we’d completed all 800 hygiene kits (200 for kids and 300 each for men and women) we were treated to lunch where we chatted about the experience and took a group photo.

Volunteers completed 50 comfort blankets for homeless children  - COMCAST CARES DAY 2019 - My Volunteer Experience #ComcastCaresDay ad

After lunch, volunteers went on to create fifty no-sew comfort blankets to be distributed by the Tacoma Rescue Mission to kids in crisis.

The entire Comcast event team made the experience fun. I left feeling like I’d made a difference in the lives of children in need by creating bags that will hopefully provide a little comfort when their home life may be uncertain.

Comcast Cares Day 2019 – Seattle Plymouth Housing

While my project was done inside an air-conditioned office, other events allowed participants to get their hands dirty. Check out the Seattle Plymouth Housing volunteer day below. They showcase what a large group of volunteers can accomplish in one day!

Comcast employees, their friends and family, and community members joined together to support Plymouth Housing and the local homeless community in Seattle. It was one of the biggest individual volunteer days the organization has EVER seen! Learn more about other 2019 Comcast Cares Days efforts across Washington state (Seattle, Spokane, Auburn, and Bellingham) by visiting the Comcast Washington blog.

Comcast Cares Day – How to Volunteer

It couldn’t be simpler to volunteer, and there are volunteer projects for everyone – even kids! The Comcast Cares Day website provides project information including the date, time, location, and what the event entails. That allows people like me to find the perfect fit for any limitations they may have. They were very accomodating to my physical limitations and made me feel like a valued helper

Volunteering is easy! Pick a project, sign up online, and show up!  - COMCAST CARES DAY 2019 - My Volunteer Experience #ComcastCaresDay ad

I signed up online and then showed up the day of the event. Clear instructions were given and the entire event team made the event fun and I left feeling like I’d made a difference in the lives of some children who would likely receive a kit on one of the worst days of their life. A little comfort can go a long way when you’re experiencing homelessness.

Comcast Cares – More than Just One Day a Year

The 2019 event was the 18th Comcast Cares Day. Since its inception, volunteers have completed more than ten thousand projects and six million service hours.

While the intensive volunteer effort is accomplished on one day each year, Comcast encourages their employees to “make change happen” by lending their support year round. You can too by visiting the Comcast Cares Day project website and checking for events in your area.