Verizon Donates Newark Office Space to Junior Achievement of New Jersey for 'Finance Park'

Junior Achievement of New Jersey's Finance Park, a reality-based, hands-on learning lab designed to educate students about financial planning, will open Feb. 2 at Verizon's office building at 540 Broad St., in space donated by Verizon for the initiative.

Junior Achievement will use approximately 7,500 square feet of rent-free office space, located on the first floor, for classrooms containing computers with interactive software programs.  Newark-area middle and high school students will learn the fundamentals of finances and how to apply those fundamentals in real-world situations.  Classes will be held weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"Junior Achievement prepares our youth to compete in the global economy by providing hands-on workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy training," said William E. Foshay, senior vice president of centralized operations for Verizon and vice chairman of the board of directors of Junior Achievement of New Jersey.  "Donating this space to JA will help support this worthy program, which provides a platform for young students to learn how to effectively manage their finances and put those lessons into action.  It's about educating and creating understanding, and therefore, opportunity."

Students participating in the Finance Park lab will learn how to make important financial decisions and to construct a personal budget for such things as housing, food, savings, utilities, and wireless and entertainment services.  The month-long program consists of 12 lessons, and at the culmination of the program students will have the opportunity to put into action what they have learned about budgeting and finance at Finance Park.

"We are grateful to Verizon for their generous space donation that will help Junior Achievement of New Jersey empower young people to own their future economic success through the JA Finance Park program," says Catherine Milone, president, Junior Achievement of New Jersey.  "Nearly 3,000 middle and high school students will experience first-hand what it is like to be an adult for a day, managing their own personal budgets. This newfound knowledge is likely to stay with them for the rest of their lives."

Junior Achievement of New Jersey is a nonprofit organization that connects volunteers with students in grades K-12.  Through a dedicated volunteer network, JA provides in-school and after-school programs for students throughout the Garden State.  JA offers work-readiness programs that focus on seven key content areas:  business, citizenship, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics/character, financial literacy and career development.

The program, which can accommodate up to 120 students per day, will run through April 15.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 93 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 195,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####