The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) sympathizes with those individuals who have suffered great loss of life and possessions as a result of devastating Hurricane Katrina.
Among those who are feeling the brutal effects of Katrina’s aftermath in the U.S. Gulf Coast region are some of SCTE’s members and their families, and the Society is greatly concerned for them.
To facilitate the accumulation of relief support for Katrina’s victims, SCTE is pleased to provide you with the following list of established and reputable relief organizations. The Society encourages you to work through these effective channels to offer whatever assistance you can to the victims.
Thank you for your vital support in this traumatic time for so many Americans, cable telecommunications industry employees, SCTE members, and the families of SCTE members.
National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA): Checks can be made payable to “Cable Hope Fund” and sent to NCTA, care of David Pierce, Senior Director, Public Affairs, NCTA, 1724 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20036. Contributors should note that the Cable Hope Fund has been incorporated as a non-profit corporation and that it will be filing with the Internal Revenue Service to assure its status as a 501(c) (3) entity and the tax deductibility of contributions it receives.
Meanwhile, the cable industry will participate in a national housing database to assist cable employees displaced by Hurricane Katrina in their search for transitional housing by matching them with cable families willing to volunteer space in their homes.
With the assistance of the Cable and Telecommunications Human Resources Association (CTHRA), NCTA has partnered with the not-for-profit organization KatrinaHousing.org (www.katrinahousing.org), a 501 (c) (3) organization founded to provide a searchable database to identify transitional housing for families displaced by the catastrophe.
KatrinaHousing.org has dedicated a section of its database exclusively to the cable industry and will accept offers of housing from cable industry families across the U.S. Housing made available through KatrinaHousing.org won’t be limited to those areas directly impacted by the hurricane. Cable human resource professionals will be able to log-in to volunteer space from cable families at their companies, or to assist affected employees seeking housing.
Cable industry companies interested in participating can obtain a pass code for the cable portion of the KatrinaHousing.org website by contacting the NCTA Communications & Public Affairs Department at 202-775-3629.
Christians in Cable (CIC) has established a hurricane relief fund with 100 percent of the proceeds going to cable company employees affected by Hurricane Katrina. Donors are invited to send their gifts to:
Christians in Cable Katrina Relief Fund Attention: Bob Higley 2823 West Irving Blvd. Irving, TX 75061
Checks should be made payable to Christians in Cable and designated for the Katrina Relief Fund.
CABLE INDUSTRY CORPORATE/EMPLOYEE GIVING
Cox Employee Disaster Relief Fund: Donations from employees during the Hurricane Katrina crisis will be matched 2 to 1, with funds directly benefiting employees and their families as they rebuild their lives.
Make checks payable to: Cox Employee Disaster Relief Fund, Inc. and mail to:
Leigh Ann Launius Cox Employee Disaster Relief Fund Cox Enterprises, Inc. 17th Floor 6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Atlanta, GA 30328
Please make sure that your NAME and ADDRESS are included with your donation, so an acknowledgement can be mailed to you.
Cable One: Cable One will make a major donation to a relief organization to help the entire Gulf Coast community. Parent company The Washington Post Company is establishing a tax-free charitable fund, called the Community Fund, to aid impacted employees. The company will also match all employee contributions. http://www.cableone.net
Charter Communications: Charter will match employee donations to the American Red Cross, dollar for dollar, up to $500 per employee. http://www.charter.com Paul Allen, Charter's principal stockholder, pledged a $1 million donation from the Paul Allen Family Foundation.
Insight Communications: Insight Communications is reopening the Insight New York Relief Fund for donations to assist those affected by Katrina. Employee contributions are tax-deductible, and Insight will match all employee contributions. Employees can contribute by check or payroll deduction, through Dec. 23, 2005. http://www.insight-com.com
CommScope: CommScope will make a donation to the American Red Cross and also match employee donations to the organization. http://www.commscope.com
Motorola: The Motorola Foundation is making an immediate cash donation of $250,000 to the American Red Cross’s Disaster Relief Fund. The Foundation will also donate up to an additional $250,000 as part of an employee matching gift program. www.motorola.com
Broadband Careers Network is offering gratis job posting and resumé database access accounts for all cable systems impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Human resource and hiring managers for those cable operating systems in the FEMA designated disasters areas are eligible now for these no-cost, 3-month, unlimited accounts through December 31, 2006.
The Walt Disney Company is donating $2.5 million, with $1 million committed to the American Red Cross, $1 million to children's charities, and $500,000 to volunteer centers.
In addition to providing extensive coverage before, during and after the storm, the Weather Channel is donating $1 million to the American Red Cross and is also asking other industry companies to match or exceed that donation. The network will also match contributions made by its 800 employees.
Advance Newhouse Communications, parent company of Bright House Networks, is donating $1 million to the American Red Cross from the Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation.
Comcast and the Comcast Foundation are donating $10 million in advertising time and $50,000 cash to the American Red Cross. The company also plans to devote VOD programming in September to air Red Cross updates, benefit concerts, and information on how the public can help.
News Corporation, parent company of Fox Cable Networks, is donating $1 million to the Salvation Army and will match employee donations up to another $1 million.
Oxygen Media is donating money to help some of Katrina's youngest victims, children who have been evacuated from New Orleans Children's Hospital to Houston. Oxygen will donate $1 for every person who signs up for the campaign by visiting http://speakup.oxygen.com/campaigns/neworleans, up to $10 million. Oxygen is also encouraging viewers to make donations directly to the Texas Children's Hospital by referencing "Katrina Kid Relief."
Viacom, parent company of MTV Networks, is donating $1 million to the American Red Cross and has created a worldwide employee matching gift program for all employee donations.
Outdoor Life Network (OLN) will partner with the National Hockey League during October to donate $1,000 to Habitat for Humanity's rebuilding efforts for each goal scored during a game aired on OLN. The network is also donating premiums and clothing to Star of Hope in Houston.
FSN regional networks have created a "Round Trippers for Relief" effort that will donate $1,000 for every homerun hit during select games on Monday, Sept. 12 and Tuesday, Sept. 13.
CSTV will donate advertising proceeds from Tulane University's first football game on Sept. 17. The network also will partner with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to rebuild athletic programs in affected communities.
The Scripps Howard Foundation is matching contributions from its employees, including those at Scripps Networks. Shop at Home has made a $10,000 donation in Emeril Lagasse's name to the American Red Cross.
Time Warner, parent company of Time Warner Cable and Turner Broadcasting, has met its goal and matched $1 million in employee gifts. Employees still are encouraged to donate by logging on to www.networkforgood.com/timewarner. Turner Broadcasting is donating $250,000 to the American Red Cross and is also working with Atlanta businesses to determine how they can provide further assistance.
CABLE INDUSTRY CORPORATE SERVICES
The Inspiration Networks were quick to respond by dispatching truckloads of supplies to the affected areas as Hurricane Katrina approached land on August 28. In partnership with Convoy of Hope, the company has already delivered more than 30 truckloads of ice, water and food, with hundreds of additional loads expected as recovery continues.
In addition to making a donation to the American Red Cross and matching employee donations, A&E Networks is spearheading an educational outreach program to assist school districts affected by Katrina. The History Channel and A&E are developing programs that will explore the historical context of the hurricane and share heroic stories of survival.
Cox Communications installed two banks of telephones at the Cajundome in Lafayette, La., to provide free, unlimited local and long distance calling for more than 8,000 evacuees. The company is also providing cable services and monitors, as well as backup Internet access for staff and relief agencies at the dome.
CNN is helping connect the stranded and missing to families and friends searching for them. The "Victims and Relief Desk" is collecting names and locations of those who are safe and posting them on the CNN Web site. CNN crews are also filming refugees and having them state their name and locations. These video clips and photos are being aired on CNN. Other cable networks are providing similar services including Fox News, the Weather Channel and MSNBC.
TBN founder Paul Crouch has donated $100,000 toward ship-based relief efforts to deliver food, water and supplies to victims via a 180-foot cutter ship run by Friend Ships, a Christian humanitarian aid organization.
mtvU, MTV Network's college targeted network, will partner with college students, national fraternities and sororities, other student organizations and Urban Outfitters to organize clothing drives and volunteer efforts.
Motorola has delivered three emergency communication trailers and other technical supplies to meet critical communication needs. Additionally, the Motorola Foundation has set up a $1 million relief fund to rebuild schools and educate displaced children.
Time Warner Cable is providing communications network access to FEMA in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi and will deploy employees with emergency medical and water rescue certifications to New Orleans to participate in relief efforts while on paid-leave. Several Time Warner Cable systems are located in communities that have received thousands of evacuees. These systems are donating essential supplies and providing free phone, cable and Internet service to shelters and relief agencies. Systems providing these services include Shreveport and Monroe, La., and Texas systems in Houston, Beaumont, San Antonio, Austin and El Paso. Additional efforts include a food drive being held by the Houston system, a blood drive organized by the Beaumont system, and volunteer efforts in San Antonio. Divisions far from the effects of the storm are helping out too. The Syracuse, N.Y., division raised $16,000 from attendees at the New York State Fair to donate to the Salvation Army. The Memphis, Tenn., division will donate $2,000 raised from employees to help fellow employees in Jackson, Miss.
Cox Communications in Baton Rouge, La., is providing video, voice and data services to nine shelters in Louisiana, the National Guard and police officers.
Comcast systems have sent food and water to communities, with some loads being delivered personally by Comcast employees. In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Comcast connected Red Cross shelters with high-speed Internet and cable service.
In their hometown of Knoxville, Tenn., Scripps Networks employees are providing toiletries for a half dozen displaced families temporarily living at the Knoxville Red Cross.
Cable One has accounted for all of its 117 employees in the affected region and is sending supplies to employees in hard-hit Biloxi, Gulfport and Pascagoula, Miss. The company will provide employees with disaster pay and help them find temporary housing, and has ensured them that they will have jobs to return to when it is safe to do so. Cable One has partnered with equipment supplier CommScope to use its private truck service to deliver supplies. CommScope is also working with Comcast, Cox and Charter systems.
Cox has located approximately 70 percent of its employees and has committed to making sure they all have jobs when they can return. It has established an employee relief fund. The company is encouraging employees to donate, and will match gifts 2 to 1, to help affected colleagues.
Comcast is coordinating an internal campaign to purchase gift cards from retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot and Lowe's to donate to employees in affected areas.
To aid cable systems in the affected areas, NCTA and the American Cable Association (ACA) are accepting donations of cable equipment and services that can be used to rebuild systems to provide vital services to customers. They set up a blog at cableresourcecenter.blogspot.com for cable systems in need to request help and connect with those able to offer resources.
