Silverton: A Small Community with a Big Heart
Meet Josh Kyllo, a Business Technician at Comcast, and Tim King, a Field Sales Consultant at Xfinity, both residents in Silverton, Oregon. For those who live in and around the Silver Falls area, community is everything, and Sheltering Silverton is a key piece of the puzzle that is helping make it better for everyone.
“Living in Silverton, I see a lot of people that need help and it’s nice to be able to give back,” said Tim. “The more that our community grows and strengthens, it just increases the bond that Comcast and Xfinity has with the area.”
Sheltering Silverton was founded on the mission to end homelessness in their community, and they have effectively done just that. By providing transitional housing, resources, and support, Sheltering Silverton has effectively accomplished its mission and continues to work hard to do more for those in need.
“When private community initiatives show up to help and support, it reminds every person who lives here, who feels and has felt in the past like they don’t matter, that they do matter,” said Sarah White, Founder and Executive Director of Sheltering Silverton and a resident of the town.
With their staff fully dedicated to providing that support, there was a need for assistance in refreshing their space. That’s where Josh and his family, along with Tim and many volunteers from Comcast came into the picture to do their part to beautify their space. As part of our Spring into Service multi-week volunteer initiative, Comcast employees, family, and friends from near and far came out to clean, paint, plant, and refresh their space from the inside out.
“To have my family here, it means the world. It makes me feel good,” said Josh. “I think, it probably puts a smile on these people’s faces to see the kid’s pulling weeds. It’s cool to see them out here. It gives them something to do and it shows them dad’s company is doing this. It’s a win-win all around.
Every year, employees across the company give back through our Team UP always-on volunteer program, and this year, our teammates in the Pacific Northwest made a big difference during Spring into Service. From serving meals, painting community spaces, sorting clothes and household supplies, writing letters to seniors, planting flowers, and spreading bark, giving back to the communities where we live and work is at the core of who we are at Comcast.
This year, Spring into Service drew more than 450 employees, friends, and family members to 17 events that supported 15 community partners, including 9 Lift Zone locations. In total, over 1,700 hours were volunteered and over $111,000 were generated in in-kind contributions, creating a lasting impact across our region.