Nearly 60 Maryland Nonprofits Awarded More Than $340,000 by Verizon Foundation to Boost Literacy Efforts

BALTIMORE - Thanks to the generosity of Verizon's customers who participated in the company's Check Into Literacy program, the Verizon Foundation has awarded $341,000 to 58 nonprofit organizations in Maryland that support literacy and learning activities for children, adolescents and adults.

The Check Into Literacy program enables Verizon landline phone customers to make a $1-a-month donation to support literacy when paying their Verizon bill.  Verizon collected $341,000 through the program in Maryland and asked state nonprofits to apply for the grants.  To qualify for funding, applicants had to be a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization providing basic reading skills, and computer and Web-based literacy programs to Marylanders in underserved communities. 

"Literacy is the foundation of a successful future for all children, and Verizon is proud to partner with our customers to support literacy organizations throughout Maryland," said William R. Roberts, Verizon regional president for Maryland and Washington, D.C.  "Maryland organizations and individuals combat illiteracy each day, and these Check Into Literacy grants provide much-needed funding so these literacy champions can continue to make a positive impact in their communities."

Grant recipients include:

Anne Arundel County - Anne Arundel Community College, Assistance League of the Chesapeake, Mark 10:14, OIC of Anne Arundel County, YWCA of Annapolis/Anne Arundel County.

Baltimore City - Baltimore Reads, Building Educated Leaders for Life, Center for Summer Learning, Civic Works, Family & Children's Services of Central Maryland, Franciscan Youth Center, Greater Baltimore Urban League, Greater Homewood Community Corp., Heroes Helping Heroes Inc., LatinLink Institute, South Baltimore Learning Corp., The Hearing and Speech Agency, Union Baptist Head Start, USS Constellation Museum, Washington Village/Pigtown Council, Young Audiences of Maryland.

Baltimore County - Creative Kids Inc., Literacy Works, United Cerebral Palsy of Central Maryland, We Are Family Community Development Corp.

Carroll County - Margaret Byrd Rawson Institute.

Cecil County - Boys & Girls Club of Cecil County.

Charles County - Citizens of the Charles County Public Library, First Book Charles County Advisory Board.

Dorchester County - Literacy League of Dorchester County.

Frederick County - Communication Service for the Deaf, Maryland School for the Deaf, Up County Family Center.

Garrett County - Southern Middle School, Swan Meadow School.

Harford County - Harford County Public Library Foundation, Havre de Grace Maritime Museum.

Howard County - Athelas Institute, FIRN Inc., Howard Community College.

Kent County - Shared Opportunity Service.

Montgomery County - African Immigrant & Refugee Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, Chinese American Senior Services, Community Bridges, Family Learning Solutions, Literacy Council of Montgomery County, Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, Montgomery College.

Prince George's County - Emmanuel United Methodist Church, Future Leaders Inc., Latin American Youth Center, Literacy Council of Prince George's County, Prince George's Child Resource Center, S.B. Step Ahead Program, United Communities Against Poverty.

Talbot County - Character Counts Mid-Shore.

Worcester County - Diakonia Inc.

Thanks to Verizon's customers and the Check Into Literacy program, nonprofit organizations in 26 states and Washington, D.C., received more than $1.28 million to bolster literacy efforts.  In addition to Maryland and the District of Columbia, the participating states are: Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, 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 63.7 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon has a diverse workforce of nearly 238,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $88 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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