Verizon Awards $101,000 in Work Force Development Grants to 9 Indiana Nonprofits

INDIANAPOLIS - Nine Indiana nonprofit organizations have been awarded grants totaling $101,000 from the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, to help train workers for new and better jobs.

"Indiana's economic vitality depends on a skilled work force, which helps cities attract jobs and businesses, and these grants reflect Verizon's commitment to assist the communities we serve," said Lori Macklin, vice-president, regulatory and government affairs for Indiana. "These grants will help agencies and schools provide Hoosiers with the necessary training to remain competitive in today's challenging labor market."

In April, nonprofit and educational organizations in Indiana were invited to compete for Verizon grants by submitting proposals outlining work force development programs. Nine Indiana proposals were selected for funding:

• Goshen High School (Goshen) - $9,000 to provide curriculum, staff and employer training for G-JOBS, a new program for at-risk and special needs students

• Bridgepointe Goodwill Industries and Easter Seals Inc. (Seymour) - $10,000 to purchase instructional software and hardware to create an accessible kiosk for clients and computer equipment for employment specialists

• Family Service Association of Wabash Valley (Terre Haute) - $12,000 for client training for job skills classes, creation of a Web site and purchase of hardware and software for staff

• Fort Wayne Urban League (Fort Wayne) - $20,000 to provide computer skills training to 30 high school dropouts aged 15-24, many of whom are on probation and under supervision of the Allen Superior Court Family Relations Division

• Ivy Tech State College (Elkhart) - $15,000 to provide scholarships for basic skills courses (introduction to math, reading, writing, keyboarding, and college orientation) for adults in a non-threatening, off-campus environment in the Workforce Initiator program

• Communities in Schools of Wayne County Inc. (Richmond) - $10,000 to provide hands-on exposure to local careers through career exploring posts based on career clusters in the Back to Square One school-to-work initiative

• Metropolitan School District of Warren County (West Lebanon) - $8,300 to provide employer-designed basic skills training (oral and written skills, workplace math, technology and manufacturing processes, teamwork, ethics and safety) for high school seniors in the Manufacturing Readiness Boot Camp

• Community Action Program of Gibson County Adult Alternative Program (Evansville) - $5,500 to provide individualized basic skills and literacy training in non-traditional settings for low-income residents

• Connersville Education Coalition (Connersville) - $11,200 to establish free countywide computer labs and classes to provide adults with job readiness skills and job training

Last year in Indiana, the Verizon Foundation awarded 29 grants totaling more than $455,000 to charitable and nonprofit agencies that focus on improving basic and computer literacy, enriching communities through technology, and creating a skilled work force.

In 2003, the foundation awarded more than 21,000 grants totaling about $70 million to charitable and nonprofit agencies that focus on improving basic and computer literacy, enriching communities through technology, and creating a skilled work force. The foundation uses its resources in the United States and abroad to develop partnerships in technology and connect them with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, and the economically and socially disadvantaged.

The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that last year encouraged Verizon employees to volunteer 595,000 hours in their communities and provided $34.6 million in combined contributions to charitable and nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications

A Dow 30 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services, with approximately $68 billion in revenues. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and circulation. Verizon's international presence includes wireline and wireless communications operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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