Latest news with #GoodNeighbors
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spectrum pledges $1,000 to Good Neighbors initiatives
VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Spectrum is supporting families in need across Broome County with its latest donation. Spectrum has donated $1,000 to Good Neighbors, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting food insecurity. The money was donated through Spectrum's national community philanthropic program, Spectrum Employee Community Grants. The donation will help support Good Neighbors' 'Nourishing Our Neighbors' program. The initiative provides food and other essentials to those in need in the Broome County area. 'We are deeply grateful to Spectrum and the Employee Community Grants program for their generous support of our Nourishing Our Neighbors initiative.' Said Krista Bunzey, Good Neighbors New York State Coordinator. 'This funding helps us continue our mission of delivering food and essential supplies to families across Broome County who are facing hardship. It's especially meaningful to receive this donation through a program that recognizes and uplifts the volunteer efforts of Spectrum employees. Partnerships like this are vital in creating a more resilient and compassionate community.' Since 2019, Spectrum Employee Community Grants has provided funding to over 591 nonprofits. Recipients help underserved residents meet basic needs, including providing food, shelter, clothing, job training and neighborhood safety. Each awardee is nominated by one of the company's more than 101,000 U.S. employees who has volunteered with the organization for at least one year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.
Korea Herald
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
MapleStory drives Nexon's community iniatives
Nexon Foundation is expanding its social contribution efforts beyond gaming, using its flagship game MapleStory to support pediatric medical care, coding education and community development, the company said Wednesday. 'We believe gaming can be a powerful tool for social good,' a Nexon official said. 'As one of Nexon's longest-running and most beloved games, MapleStory has become a platform for meaningful community initiatives that extend beyond the screen.' Game-powered philanthropy One of Nexon's key initiatives, the Sound Sharing Project, supports children with hearing impairments through language rehabilitation tools. Using MapleStory's themes and characters, the foundation developed Sound Friend Yeti, a speech therapy aid, and Magical Snail Wow, an educational animation aimed at raising awareness of hearing disabilities. In December 2023, Nexon introduced Maple Leaf Playground, a project designed to transform outdated and unsafe playgrounds into interactive spaces. Developed in collaboration with local children and community members, the first MapleStory-themed playground features Mushmom climbing structures based on the giant orange mushroom character. A satisfaction survey by social welfare group Good Neighbors and playground design firm iDdang found that young visitors rated the playground 9.2 out of 10, with many highlighting the variety of play options. Encouraged by the response, Nexon plans to open a second Maple Leaf Playground this year. Meanwhile, HelloMaple, a free block-based coding education platform launched in September 2023, surpassed 200,000 registered users within three months. Nexon said studies showed a 50.5 percent improvement in computational thinking skills among users, attributing the platform's success to its gamified learning approach. Players giving back Beyond corporate-led efforts, MapleStory players have actively participated in Nexon's social initiatives. Through the Sound Sharing Project, two in-game donation events drew over 350,000 participants, raising funds to provide cochlear implants and assistive device replacements for 67 children with hearing impairments. Additionally, Nexon's Hero Campaign, held across 22 of its games last December, saw MapleStory players quickly claim all 100,000 available donation packages, with many continuing to donate privately after the official campaign ended, the company said. To mark Nexon's 30th anniversary, around 200,000 MapleStory players participated in the year-long Kind Gift Relay Event, providing essential items to Dotori House, South Korea's first independent pediatric palliative care center. Nexon said MapleStory made additional contributions by donating tablets for every hospital bed, allowing young patients to access entertainment and educational content during their treatment. Last year, proceeds from MapleStory's 20th-anniversary commemorative medal sales contributed 100 million won ($69,027) toward building Maple Leaf Dream Center, a multipurpose activity room at Dotori House. Nexon later added 300 million won ($207,070) to support its operations, according to the company. 'Through MapleStory, we aim to create a platform where both the company and players can engage in meaningful contributions,' a Nexon official added. 'We are committed to continuing these efforts to foster a positive and sustainable impact on society.'
