This past Saturday, LIFT was given the exciting opportunity to participate in Comcast Cares Day for the second year in a row. Sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal, Comcast Cares Day “mobilizes employees, their families and friends to work alongside community partners and public officials” to revitalize their communities. From refurbishing schools to cleaning up parks, there’s no project too big or small for volunteers to tackle. It’s an important day for each of our communities and an event that LIFT staff look forward to all year long.
This year, LIFT-Boston, LIFT-DC, and LIFT’s National Office were participants in community restoration projects as a part of #CCDay. Our D.C. and National Team worked on the Houston Elementary School beautification project, while Boston worked on restoring the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse.
Read on for recaps of their experiences:
D.C.–
The air was crisp and spring was in bloom this weekend as LIFT staff participated in the 14th Annual Comcast Cares Day at Houston Elementary School here in D.C. The day was filled with excitement as volunteers from the community gathered to help beautify the school and make it a better place for its students.
Volunteers put their hands together for a big “Ooh Rah!”
After inspiring opening remarks by community leaders, including D.C.’s own Mayor Muriel Bowser, volunteers were invited to select from a variety of projects to help restore the school. Activities included building planters, refurbishing doorways, and painting murals–just to name a few. LIFT staff was excited to get down and dirty to make a difference in our community, even bringing family members and friends along for the fun.
Great partnerships begin with great leadership – Dave Harvey (Executive Director at LIFT DC) with Brad Palazzo (Director, External Affairs at Comcast).
But service projects weren’t limited to just refurbishing the school. LIFTers Sambavi and Estefani took part in a project for Operation Gratitude that created bracelets for troops to use overseas. No act was too small to make a difference, and everyone left with a sense of accomplishment and pride for their community.
Volunteers gather in the cafeteria to paint murals for the school.
Boston–
Fifteen LIFT-Boston volunteers helped to ready the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse in Somerville for summer adventures. LIFTers collected trash, planted gardens, painted flower beds and raked piles upon piles of leaves, helping the grounds to look freshly awakened from the long and trying winter. In addition to Comcast representatives, the project was led by Groundwork Somerville, which strives to bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement and management of the physical environment through the development of community-based partnerships which empower people, businesses and organizations to promote environmental, economic and social well-being.
LIFT-Boston works on restoring a planter and planting flowers.
While Team LIFT was picking up trash along the Mystic River, a Somerville resident passed by on the walking trail and was excited to see the community receiving some much needed TLC. “She appreciated that her neighborhood is not only looking better, but also being taken care of. It was encouraging to know that our efforts are already having an impact on the people of this community,” said Roxbury Financial Stability Fellow Katie Ouimet.
LIFT-Boston poses with their #CCDay shirts.
LIFT is proud to have participated in such an important event, and we’re looking forward to next year’s Comcast Cares Day. Use #CCDay to see photos and videos from Comcast Cares Day all across the country on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and check out our Flickr album to see more from LIFT’s #CCDay experience.
Team LIFT celebrates a rewarding day of service.