Verizon Foundation Awards $180,000 to Aid Domestic Violence Prevention and Awareness Efforts Throughout Great Lakes Region

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Verizon Foundation has awarded $180,000 to 12 domestic violence awareness and prevention programs in the Great Lakes Region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The grants are part of $1 million in Verizon Foundation grants to 93 organizations in 21 states to assist efforts to raise awareness of domestic violence and aid in its prevention.

The awards were announced Monday at the Verizon Foundation's Domestic Violence Summit -- Building Solutions, which was held in conjunction with the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV), the Family Violence Prevention Fund and the National Domestic Violence Hotline. New York Yankee manager and domestic violence awareness advocate Joe Torre served as keynote speaker.

Funding went to a myriad of projects, from a grant to the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence of Chicago to update the agency's Web site, to a grant to the Domestic Violence Network of Greater Indianapolis to provide movie-trailer public service announcements about where victims can turn for help.

Grants were also awarded to Illinois nonprofits Impact Chicago, Chicago Foundation for Women, United Way of McLean County and Prevent Child Abuse America.

Michigan recipients included Turning Point Inc. and Haven Inc.

Grants were awarded in Ohio to Helpline of Delaware & Morrow Counties Inc. and Exchange Club Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse of Northwest Ohio Inc.

Wisconsin agencies receiving grants were HELP of Door County Inc. and Household Abuse Victims Emergency Network Inc.

Thus far this year, the Verizon Foundation has awarded a total of more than $3.3 million to domestic violence prevention and awareness programs.

Domestic violence is the greatest cause of injury to women between 15 and 44 in the United States -- more than muggings, car accidents and rapes combined, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Each year, health-related costs of intimate-partner violence exceed $5.8 billion -- $4.1 billion in direct medical and mental health care services and over $1.7 billion in lost productivity. 

"The impact of domestic violence touches every sector of society, from family, to school to the workplace," said Patrick Gaston, Verizon Foundation president. "We're committed to supporting programs and forging partnerships with nonprofits, communities and other businesses to help support victims and break the cycle of violence."

Verizon delivers technology that touches life. The Verizon Foundation uses that technology and its financial resources to improve literacy and K-12 education; help families victimized by domestic violence; and improve the delivery of health care. In 2005, the foundation awarded more than $74 million in grants to charitable and nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, which is one of the largest employee volunteer programs in the United States and responsible for 2 million hours of community service since 2000 and $35.6 million in combined contributions to nonprofits in 2005 alone.

For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a Dow 30 company, 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 nearly 57 million customers nationwide.  Verizon Business operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks.  Verizon Telecom is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers.  Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of approximately 250,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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