North Puget Sound Nonprofits to Receive More Than $225,000 in Grants From Verizon Foundation

EVERETT, Wash. -- North Puget Sound residents will benefit from $225,000 in grants made by Verizon Foundation to 22 nonprofit groups throughout the Pacific Northwest. .

The one-year grants for local educational institutions and community-based nonprofit groups, ranging from $2,500 to $40,000 each, will fund workforce development programs that serve low-income, minority and disadvantaged Washingtonians. (Click here for a list of grant recipients.)

The grants were presented during a ceremony at Everett Station in conjunction with an education forum sponsored by Verizon and Partnership for Learning. The event featured Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Terry Bergeson, former The Herald President and Publisher Larry Hanson, and Verizon Regional President Sheila Lau.

"Washington, like other states, faces challenging economic issues, and corporations like Verizon can play a critical role in helping this region prosper by supporting programs that improve the skills of the local workforce," Lau said. "Verizon continues to be committed to helping the communities we serve become more educated and technologically fluent. Our grants will help reduce unemployment and increase the use of technology by our residents."

Major grants awarded today by Verizon were:

• United Way of Snohomish County -- $40,000 for Web site improvement with the addition of capabilities that will allow donors to pledge online.

• University of Washington-Bothell -- $25,000 for the ROBOLAB program, which helps middle-school students develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, understand core mathematics concepts and use powerful scientific ideas through the use of robotics.

• Center for Career Alternatives -- $10,000 for the Youth Opportunity Center, which assists youth needing a variety of education, employment and social services. Through the center's Project Reach program, juvenile offenders will receive vocational training, substance-abuse counseling and independent-living skills training.

• Seattle Goodwill Industries, Mt. Vernon Basic Education Program -- $9,500 for a basic education and literacy skills improvement program for adults. The program is designed to help participants acquire skills to get a better job, including their reading, writing, math and computer skills.

This year, Verizon will donate more than $1 million in grants, contributions and sponsorships that focus primarily on literacy, technology, economic development and workforce development programs in the Pacific Northwest.

Verizon Foundation is committed to helping people and communities make progress every day. The foundation supports a variety of programs that focus on improving basic and computer literacy, bridging the digital divide, enriching communities through technology and creating a skilled work force. The foundation promotes partnerships in technology with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, and the economically and socially disadvantaged. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that encourages Verizon employees to volunteer in their communities and provides matching gifts to nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 135.0 million access line equivalents and 31.5 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. With more than $67 billion in annual revenues and more than 236,000 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 35 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit
www.verizon.com.

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Related Documents:

Verizon Foundation 2002 Grant Recipients