New York Nonprofits Received More Than $13.5 Million in 2008 from the Verizon Foundation

NEW YORK - More than 2,400 nonprofit groups in New York received more than $13.5 million from the Verizon Foundation in 2008, enabling recipient organizations to improve literacy skills, enhance educational opportunities for children, and help domestic violence survivors rebuild their lives.

In addition, Verizon employees volunteered more than 101,500 hours to nonprofit groups throughout the state in 2008.

"Verizon has a long-standing tradition of contributing to the communities we serve by supporting organizations that strive to make a difference in the lives of individuals," said Andrés Irlando, Verizon senior vice president for the New York region. 

"Through philanthropic grants and the many contributions of time and talent from our employees, we are having a positive impact on our communities," he said.

Among the recipients of the grants awarded by Verizon in 2008, and the programs the grants support, are:

• New York Women's Foundation - domestic violence prevention programs in underserved communities throughout New York City.

• The Child Center of New York - computer-based reading and ESL (English as second language) programs and one-on-one academic tutoring for underperforming children who are recent immigrants, learning disabled or victims of domestic violence.
• Junior Achievement of Western New York - financial- literacy training and job shadow programs for at-risk Buffalo public school students. 
• Greenhope Services for Women - a domestic violence education and prevention program designed for women on parole, women who have been referred by the courts to the agency as an alternative to incarceration, and women from the community (East Harlem) who require substance-abuse services.
• Literacy Volunteers of America - Westchester County Affiliate - the Summer 2008 Hispanic Family Literacy Program in coordination with two Westchester County libraries. The bilingual workshops provide literacy, health care and community resource information to the county's growing and economically disadvantaged immigrant Hispanic population, especially in Port Chester and Ossining.
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - Utica Chapter - ongoing NAACP Chapter programs, including literacy programs, domestic violence prevention and scholarships.
• Municipal Art Society - CITI Youth program that places minority students as interns on community boards to learn about planning, mapping and government/community programs.
• YMCA of Greater New York - after-school literacy program for pre-school and grade-level students, focused on reading, writing and communications skills for children from non-English-speaking families.

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence.  In 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $68 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad.  It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $26 million in combined contributions to nonprofits.  Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 3 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

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 more than 80 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 employs a diverse workforce of nearly 224,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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