SUN PRAIRIE, Wisc., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ — Verizon reaffirmed its commitment to improving literacy and combating domestic violence this year through grants for a broad range of programs. The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, donated $121,000 to 12 nonprofit groups in the state during 2006.
“In today’s tight economy, nonprofit organizations need financial assistance now more than ever,” said Paul Fuglie, Verizon vice president, regulatory and governmental affairs for Wisconsin. “Verizon’s grants underscore our long-standing goal of improving the communities we serve and our commitment to providing excellent service to our customers.”
Recipients of major grants included:* University of Wisconsin Foundation — $15,000 to support health literacy
training throughout the state, centered on the first Wisconsin Health
Literacy Summit at Wisconsin Dells in June 2007.* Wisconsin Humanities Council — $10,000 to provide scholarships for
tutors in the successful Motheread/Fatheread program. This family
literacy program helps parents who are poor readers become confident and
excited about reading aloud to their children.* Household Abuse Victims Emergency Network (HAVEN) — $11,500 to train
Lincoln County families to use the Internet in safe and age-appropriate
ways. The funding will also allow HAVEN to develop its own Web site, so
training can be offered online as well as in local communities.
Grants were also presented to Forward Wisconsin, Friends of Abused Families of West Bend, Wisconsin Literacy, Hodan Center of Mineral Point, HELP of Door County, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Sauk Prairie Area Literacy Council, The Neighbors Place of Wausau and the Wisconsin Dells Literacy Council.
In addition to these grants, 96 Wisconsin agencies received a total of more than $77,000 through Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that encourages Verizon employees to volunteer in their communities and provides matching grants to nonprofit organizations.
Verizon delivers technology that touches life. The Verizon Foundation uses that technology and its financial resources to improve literacy and K-12 education; help families victimized by domestic violence; and improve the delivery of health care. In 2005, the foundation awarded more than $74 million in grants to charitable and nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, which is one of the largest employee volunteer programs in the United States and responsible for 2 million hours of community service since 2000 and $35.6 million in combined contributions to nonprofits in 2005 alone.
For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) , a New York-based Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 57 million customers nationwide. Verizon’s Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.
VERIZON’S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon’s News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.
