Cable Connects Texans

Community Outreach — December 2009

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Texas cable providers have been working to make the holiday season brighter for Texans across the state...

 

Charter Communications Employees Donate Over 300 Toys To Tarrant County Not-For-Profit Agency    
     

Fort Worth, TX, December 18, 2009 — Brightening the holidays for abused children, Charter Communications announced the donation of more than 300 toys to Tarrant County Based not-for-profit agency Alliance For Children.

“It energizes us every time a company like Charter calls expressing a desire to help Alliance For Children,” stated Alliance For Children executive director Nancy Hagan. “We are grateful that Charter and its employees selected us to do such a good deed this holiday season.”

Charter employees conducted a toy drive for new and unwrapped toys from November 23 to December 11th.

Alliance For Children is a local nonprofit organization that has served abused children in Tarrant County since 1992. The organization operates three child friendly centers in Tarrant County, located in Arlington, Fort Worth, and Hurst. Within each of the centers, detectives and Child Protective Services investigators work together to protect the child victim. As a team, they piece together what has happened and take steps to ensure that the child is not victimized again.

“Our team of employees wants to put smiles on area children this Holiday Season who are in need,” said Dan Hebert, vice president and general manager of Charter markets in Texas. “It is another wonderful opportunity for Charter to show the community our commitment to being good neighbors.”

Earlier this year, Charter employees donated over 1000 books to Everman ISD to be used in their Book Bank program.  The program is designed to encourage students to read.

Charter to Provide “Soldier Holiday Greetings” Program On Demand
Texas soldiers featured as part of Charter’s nationwide “Charter Bundles of Caring” program

Fort Worth, TX, December 18, 2009 – As the holiday season approaches, we continue to keep all servicemen and women serving overseas at the forefront of our thoughts and prayers. While many can’t be home for the holidays, seeing and hearing them on video brightens the season for many family members. With a network covering more than 79 communities in Texas, Charter is making available convenient viewing of Texas soldiers’ holiday greetings this year. Charter’s “Soldier Holiday Greetings” will be available on Charter’s On Demand service (Channel 1) beginning Friday, December 18th.

 “Soldier Holiday Greetings” is video program featuring holiday messages from our area men and women stationed overseas. The program is available for viewing at no extra charge to all Charter digital cable customers throughout Texas. “Bringing a loved one who is far away at holiday time back into a home, even if it’s only for a few minutes, is a wonderful gift,” said Dan Hebert, vice president and general manager of Charter markets in Texas “Having access to a greeting “On Demand” makes it easier for families and friends of soldiers to view anytime. And we know that there will be those who watch simply because they are uplifted by these true patriots serving their country.

”Because “Soldier Holiday Greetings” is available On Demand, customers can watch it as many times as they wish, rewind and fast-forward through the program to search for the greetings they want to see, or sit back and enjoy watching greetings from Texas soldiers stationed throughout the world. Each greeting is listed with the soldier’s name, rank, military branch and hometown.

Each holiday season, Charter employees and customers across the country participate in giving efforts that benefit their communities. Charter employees throughout Texas participate in the company’s nationwide Charter Bundles of Caring holiday programs, which include Charter’s donation of more than 300 new and unwrapped toys to Tarrant County based Alliance For Children and Soldier Holiday Greetings.

“Soldier Greetings” is available by turning to Charter On Demand (Channel 1) on Charter Digital Cable™, then by selecting “I Want More”, then “Community Interest.” “Soldier Holiday Greetings” and will be available through January 10, 2010.

Comcast Celebrates 2nd Annual “Adopt A Neighborhood For Christmas”

Houston, Texas (Dec. 19, 2009) From bicycles to Barbie dolls, an internal toy-drive held by Comcast resulted in truckloads of presents for children in the Third Ward community of Houston.  More than 750 children got a chance to visit and take a photo with Santa and go home with a present.

Last year, Comcast held its first annual “Adopt a Neighborhood for Christmas” for over 1000 kids in Galveston, who were still recovering from Hurricane Ike. Adopt a Neighborhood for Christmas is one way that Comcast helps power dreams and demonstrate a year-round commitment to making a difference in the communities it serves.

 

Suddenlink Employees Earn Donations for Two Local Charities

 

San Angelo, Texas (Dec. 16, 2009) – Suddenlink employees spread holiday cheer to area children through an in-house incentive to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Angelo and local Toys for Tots efforts.

The incentive linked sales of core Suddenlink products to donations for both non-profit organizations. Employees who reached certain product sales levels between Nov. 9 and Dec. 9 earned $100 from Suddenlink to apply toward the donations, resulting in more than $3,000. A check for  $843 was presented to the Boys & Girls Clubs to help finance their annual Christmas party.  Suddenlink employees used the remaining donation to shop for Toys for Tots items.

In conjunction with the incentive program, the company also sponsored a live remote with Four R Broadcasting and the Marine Corps on Wal-Mart’s parking lot.  An additional 246 toys and $1,600 were collected for Toys for Tots.

 

‘Teen Angels’ Receive $6,500 in Gifts from Suddenlink

AMARILLO, Texas (Dec. 15, 2009) – Suddenlink employees delivered gifts to the Salvation Army today as part of an in-house incentive to benefit the non-profit organization’s annual Angel Tree program, which encourages Amarillo residents to help their neighbors in need by donating Christmas gifts.

The incentive linked sales of core Suddenlink products to donations for the Angel Tree program. Employees who reached 16 product sales between Nov. 9 and Dec. 9 were given $100 from Suddenlink to shop for their chosen angels. The employees focused on teens in need, a group they felt may sometimes be overlooked in favor of younger children.  These teen angels will soon receive bicycles, iPods, clothes, books, video games and more. 

In all, 65 angels were adopted by the Suddenlink team, for a total gift donation valued at $6,500.

 

Time Warner Cable Initiatives

NEIGHBORHOOD LONGHORNS AND CAMM AUSTIN -  As part of the launch of Connect A Million Minds, Time Warner Cable’s $100 million dollar STEM education initiative, TWC’s Jon Gary Herrera and Stacy Schmitt presented a $10,000 check to members of Neighborhood Longhorns Program to support their after-school STEM programs.

KILLEEN PARADE - The 47th Annual Killeen Christmas Parade was held Dec. 12  in Killeen, TX.  With a theme of “Let Freedom Ring with the Bells of Christmas” , there were 147 entries,  making it one of the largest in city history. Killeen Tiime Warner Cable employees worked countless hours putting together a float titled “Symbols of Freedom” with children dressed up as Uncle Sam, Statue of Liberty, Abe Lincoln, Bald Eagle, Liberty Bell and soldiers.  Over 20 employees, family members and Digital Dog walked alongside the float, pulled by the TWC Roadrunner Hummer, tossing out over 7000 pieces of candy to the huge crowd.

ADOPT A FAMILY -  TWC’s Dispatchers and Tech Ops managers and supervisors in Killeen, Texas participated in the Salvation Army Angel Tree program by adopting three sisters.  Aliesia, 11, Juliana, 6, and Gabriella, 4 will be surprised Christmas morning to find new outfits, jackets, pj’s, shoes, socks, gloves,  warm caps under their tree along with a Barbie Doll, MP3 player and a baby stroller. 

TWC Killeen Feast - Several Killeen employees participated in the 2nd annual HEB Feast of Sharing event on December 15 at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center.  Ham, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, and apple pie were served to over 5000 hungry people throughout the day.  Leland Smith bussed tables, Margaret Acedo was a hostess, Vayona Patterson volunteered at the drink table, while Debbie Morrison and Andi Koski (pictured right) were responsible for food plate preparation.  “What a great event!. I can’t wait to volunteer again next year,” said Leland.