NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Nearly 100 athletic department representatives from Southern Connecticut State University participated in Comcast Cares Day today at East Rock Park in New Haven. This event, which corresponds with the NCAA Division II community engagement initiative, allowed SCSU student-athletes to assist with the beautification of one of the finest parks in the state. Members of the Owls' field hockey, gymnastics, men's and women's swimming, women's lacrosse and women's soccer teams were on hand to lend support to an outstanding cause. View Photo Gallery

As part of Comcast Cares Day, one of the nation's largest single-day corporate volunteer efforts, local Comcast employees and their family members today gathered at Conte/West Hills School to install the City of New Haven's first “Born Learning Trail” as well as East Rock Park to clean up the park.

At the Conte/West Hills School, Comcast partnered with the United Way of Greater New Haven to install a “Born Learning Trail,” a set of fun physical learning activities that allows parents or caregivers to play with young children in an outdoor setting, arranged on a walking trail. The trail, which is part of the United Way's Success by 6 initiative, offers a variety of activities that encourage children to talk, listen, read, think, imagine and create and helps lay the foundation for developing problem solving, critical thinking, leadership and team building skills. This will be the first “Born Learning Trail” installed in the City of New Haven and the second in the state of Connecticut. Volunteers from the United Way of Greater New Haven and LEAP of New Haven joined Comcast volunteers at the site.

Local employees also spent the day volunteering at East Rock Park, sprucing up the park by picking up trash and removing fallen tree branches and limbs. A group of nearly 100 Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) student-athletes joined employees for the event, which aligns with the NCAA Division II community engagement initiative.

This year's Comcast Cares Day attracted more than 4,700 Comcast employees and their families to 50 different sites across New England, including Conte / West Hills School and East Rock Park and five others in Connecticut. New England volunteers joined more than 50,000 Comcast employees at nearly 500 community sites in 37 states and the District of Columbia, donating 300,000 volunteer hours of service and helping Comcast reach the milestone of one million total hours of service donated in seven Comcast Cares Days.

The Comcast Foundation donated more than $1.5 million in grants to local community partner organizations across the country on behalf of the employees and family members who volunteered on Comcast Cares Day. The grants will help Comcast's community partners continue their mission of serving the community throughout the year.