Verizon Foundation Awards More Than $170,000 in Literacy Grants to Pennsylvania District Center Library Organizations

Twelve Pennsylvania district center library organizations have received $172,500 in grants from the Verizon Foundation to incorporate Verizon Thinkfinity resources into the organizations' literacy programs.  Verizon announced the grant awards Wednesday (Oct. 27) at a Pennsylvania Library Association luncheon in Lancaster.

Verizon Thinkfinity (www.thinkfinity.org) offers free, online educational and literacy resources for teachers, parents and students provided in partnership with leading educational organizations.

"Libraries are vital educational links in the communities they serve, and integrating Verizon Thinkfinity and its interactive literacy activities into their programs will give them powerful tools to promote literacy and learning," said Gale Y. Given, president of Verizon Pennsylvania.  "It is very exciting to see these library organizations reap the rewards for their encouragement and leadership in providing the resources needed by everyone to succeed in the journey of life."

The organizations participated in a competitive grant-award process earlier this year, submitting proposals that reflected inventive ideas to enhance their programs with Verizon Thinkfinity resources for individuals.  Each of the awardees will hold a "demonstration day" in the coming months to share their programs with the residents served in their local areas.

The following library organizations received grants:

• Altoona Area Public Library, Altoona - Digital Outreach Program -- $15,000.

• Bucks County Libraries, Doylestown - Early Literacy Training -- $15,000.
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh - Thinkfinity in the LYNCS Lab -- $15,000.
• Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg - Thinkfinity & Technology in Perry County -- $12,500.
• The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, Philadelphia - Verizon Lit-BOOST (Literacy Based Out of School Time) -- $15,000.
• Lancaster Public Library, Lancaster - Library's Learning Lab -- $15,000.
• Lebanon Community Library District Library Center, Lebanon - Library Instruction Lab -- $12,500.
• Montgomery County - Norristown Public Library, Norristown - 1, 2, 3 Read: Connecting Math, Literacy and Thinkfinity at the Library -- $15,000.
• Osterhout Free Library, Wilkes Barre - Thinkfinity and A.L.L. @ Osterhout -- $12,500.
• Oxford Public Library, Oxford - Thinkfinity in Mobile Computer Lab -- $15,000.
• Schlow Centre Region Library, State College - "From Here to Thinkfinity ... and Beyond" -- $15,000.
• Upper Darby Township & Sellers Memorial Free Public Library, Upper Darby - Thinkfinity in Mobile Technology Lab -- $15,000.

Content for Verizon Thinkfinity is provided through a partnership between the Verizon Foundation and 11 of the nation's leading organizations in the fields of education and literacy: the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Council for Economic Education, International Reading Association, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Center for Family Literacy, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Council of Teachers of English, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, National Geographic Society, ProLiteracy and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational website, Verizon Thinkfinity (www.thinkfinity.org), and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence.  In 2009, the Verizon Foundation awarded $67.9 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 $26.1 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 5 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

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.

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