Comcasters hit it out of the park for hurricane relief in Puerto Rico

The Pittsburgh Pirates reached out to Comcast and their other corporate partners, seeking support for their public supply drive to support victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Members of the baseball team boarded a FedEx cargo plane Thursday to deliver 460,000 pounds of goods to people in Puerto Rico suffering from the unfathomable damage caused by the hurricane. While their original goal was to fill one plane with supplies, the Pittsburgh community’s overwhelming support required two.

With only one day’s notice, employees at three of Comcast’s Pittsburgh office locations collected hundreds of pounds of bottled water, diapers, baby formula, wipes and pet food, filling an entire service tech van. Third base coach Joey Cora, a native of Puerto Rico, along with owner Bob Nutting, catcher Francisco Cervelli and interpreter Mike Gonzalez, are distributing the collected goods to Cagaus and Cayey, both cities that have not received immediate help from initial relief efforts.

Those who donated were eligible for Roberto Clemente jerseys, commemorating one of the most beloved outfielders to wear a Pirates uniform. Clemente, originally from Puerto Rico, lost his life while delivering supplies to Nicaraguans after an earthquake in 1972 following his eighteenth season playing with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In Harrisburg, Comcasters volunteered to help the Latino Hispanic American Community Center collect 16 pallets of water and 14 pallets of food and provisions to send to Puerto Rico. Leaders in Comcast’s Unidos Employee Resource Group and their families helped collect and pack supplies along with LHACC volunteers. “Some of us have family and friends in Puerto Rico,” said Maria Medina, Unidos lead. “Doing something meaningful and necessary is a healthy way to channel anxiety. Comcast’s focus on community investment and providing volunteer opportunities for our employees is just one of the things that makes Comcast an employer of choice.”