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CableCares Effort Leaves Legacy for New Orleans Students

Publication Type: Media Release
Date: 6/18/2008
CONTACT: Rob Stoddard/Brian Dietz, 202-222-2350
More than 800 Volunteers and $900,000 in Donations Led Successful Rebuilding Initiative During The Cable Show ’08

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The numbers are in for CableCares. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) estimates that more than $900,000 in cash, equipment, and in-kind donations was raised for greater New Orleans as part of the cable industry initiative, a community service project to assist ongoing recovery efforts in the New Orleans area. More than 60 cable industry companies, organizations, and associations contributed resources to CableCares.

CableCares coincided with The Cable Show ’08, NCTA’s 57th Annual Convention and International Exposition, held in New Orleans May 18-20, 2008.

“CableCares was an extraordinary initiative that brought our industry together to help rebuild New Orleans,” said Barbara York, Senior Vice President, Industry Affairs, NCTA. “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 – had aggregated many cable industry contributions and conveyed an additional $825,000 in cash grants to charitable and philanthropic organizations, and individual victims of the 2005 hurricanes, throughout the Gulf Coast Region.

Projects and results for 2008’s CableCares program included:

  • 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.
    • An audience of more than 1,500 industry executives cast some 6,000 text message votes for their favorite band.
    • Cox’s “Xpanded Bandwidth” grabbed first place, followed very closely by The Paul Allen Band and Charter Communications’ “The Frontline,” which took second and third place, respectively.
    • A silent/live auction of rock-n-roll memorabilia raised more than $30,000 during the event.
  • More than 17,000 books and DVDs, plus an additional $28,825 for classroom sets of books, were donated by companies and individuals for distribution to New Orleans’ schools and libraries – adding an estimated 21,000 books and videos overall to local shelves.
  • With the help of 400 industry and community volunteers, brand new playgrounds were constructed at the Sarah T. Reed and Fannie C. Williams Elementary Schools.
  • More than 200 volunteers helped landscape, beautify and fix the outdoor areas of Sarah T. Reed High School.
  • Cable service, HD DVRs, broadband learning portals, and state-of-the-art TV displays were installed at Banneker Elementary School.
  • Three tractor-trailer loads of food, school supplies and musical instruments were provided to local schools and families.
  • More than 150 meals were prepared and served by volunteers at the Ozanam Inn, a local non-profit shelter and kitchen for the homeless.
  • Computers were placed in nearly every classroom at Laurel Elementary School.
  • Portions of a new broadband infrastructure were financed for Chalmette High School.
  • AIDS centers devastated by the hurricanes were restored with the help of volunteers.
  • Financial grants were provided to schools in the surrounding Bay St. Lewis area.
  • Over 560 prom dresses and suits were donated to local schools.
  • Hundreds of personal toiletry items were given to local shelters.
  • Thousands of dollars worth of athletic equipment was donated to five local schools.
  • One brand new home, currently under construction by Habitat for Humanity and its volunteers, was funded in the Musicians Village.
  • Several independent fundraising campaigns, including “Room to Care” and the "Wear It and Everyone Wins" pin-wearing campaigns drove several thousand of dollars in donations.

For more information on The Cable Show and CableCares efforts, visit www.thecableshow.com.

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NCTA is the principal trade association for the U.S. cable industry, representing cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks. The cable industry is the nation’s largest broadband provider of high-speed Internet access after investing more than $130 billion over ten years to build a two-way interactive network with fiber optic technology. Cable companies also provide state-of-the-art digital telephone service to millions of American consumers.