Nov. 5, 2009 (Business Wire) -- Students and faculty at Fairhill Elementary School in the Kensington section of Philadelphia were treated to a “big” surprise today as Comcast Corporation donated over 1,600 books, four new computers and a laser printer to the school’s library. The announcement was made at a school ceremony featuring representatives from Comcast, Fairhill School students and faculty, Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern Pennsylvania (BBBS SEPA), and leadership from the School District of Philadelphia.

Comcast employees who serve as “Bigs” discovered a barren school library while visiting their “Littles” at Fairhill Elementary as part of the Comcast - Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA “John Alchin Beyond School Walls^SM” program. Fairhill Elementary is a Comcast partner school where 45 Comcast “Bigs” mentor student “Littles” in 4^th and 5^th grades as part of a special workplace mentoring program overseen by BBBS SEPA.

In support of Mayor Michael A. Nutter’s call to action to “help wherever possible” and as an extension of the support Comcast provides to the “Beyond School Walls^SM” Program, Comcast employees mobilized a book drive at Comcast’s corporate headquarters to collect books for the students of Fairhill Elementary. To match the efforts of its employees, Comcast donated new computer equipment to the school’s library as a part of the company’s community investment goal of creating and supporting opportunities for children and youth through literacy and digital education.

“Comcast is overjoyed to donate these books and computers to Fairhill Elementary School for their school library and technology center,” said Charisse Lillie, Vice President, Community Investment & Executive Vice President of the Comcast Foundation. “Literacy and digital literacy are foundational to enriching the educational experience, and we’re happy to work with Big Brothers Big Sisters and Fairhill Elementary School to provide this opportunity to its students, who we consider to be our students.”

The Big Brothers Big Sisters “Beyond School Walls^SM” program allows companies like Comcast to give back to the community by hosting children from a nearby school at their corporate office. Through the program, children meet in the workplace with employee volunteers two to four times per month during the school day for about one hour. While on site, Bigs mentor their Littles, play games with them, do arts and crafts, tour the office or talk about school.

Marlene Olshan, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA, said: “Today is a great day for the children at Fairhill, and these books are just a start.