CableCares Contributed Big To Big Easy
Initiative Donated Some $900,000 In Cash, Equipment, Services In NOLA
By Ashley Barton -- Multichannel News, 6/19/2008 8:48:00 AM
CablesCares lent a big hand to help rebuild New Orleans.
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association estimates that over $900,000 in cash, equipment and donations was raised to help rebuild New Orleans, as part of the cable industry’s community service initiative to assist ongoing recovery efforts in the area.
Over 60 cable companies, organizations and associations donated to CableCares project.
CableCares was on the ground at The Cable Show ’08, which was held in NOLA from May 18-20.
“CableCares was an extraordinary initiative that brought our industry together to help rebuild New Orleans,” said NCTA senior vice president, industry affairs Barbara York in a statement. “Beyond the significant money that was raised, hundreds of volunteers donated thousands of hours of their time to lend a hand to the city. We're enormously thankful for the numerous donors and volunteers that so eagerly contributed their time, energy, and resources to make a lasting difference for this great city.”
The CableCares project extended the cable industry's multi-year support for recovery in New Orleans and the surrounding area. From 2005 through 2006, the Cable Hope Fund - a cable industry non-profit to support victims of natural disasters and the long-term rebuilding of affected communities -aggregated many cable industry contributions and awarded $825,000 in cash grants to charitable and philanthropic organizations, and individual victims of the 2005 hurricanes, throughout the Gulf Coast.
Through the Battle of the Bands,more than $300,000 was raised through sponsorships, donations, ticket and t-shirt sales, and a silent auction, as 10 industry bands competed for best of show.
Elsewhere, CableCares donated 17,000 books and DVDs; athletic equipment, toiletries; 560 promo dresses and suits to area schools; computers; food; school supplies; and musical instruments.
Volunteers also helped build new playgrounds, renovated and beautified Sarah T. Reed High School and provided broadband infrastructure.
