Sunflower House Receives $10,000 Grant From Verizon Foundation For "Let's Chat" Internet Safety Program For Middle School Students In Kansas

KANSAS CITY, KS — Verizon Wireless announced today that it has awarded a Verizon Foundation grant for $10,000 to Sunflower House, a nonprofit, United Way agency that protects children from physical and sexual abuse through education, forensic and medical services. The grant will be used to fund Sunflower House’s “Let’s Chat” Internet safety program, which is designed specifically for middle school students in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, through 2012.

“Verizon Wireless has a long-standing commitment to advocacy and awareness programs that help keep our children safe from potential Internet-related threats,” said Brendan Fallis, president – Kansas/Missouri region, Verizon Wireless. “This $10,000 grant will greatly support Sunflower House in the fulfillment of its mission to protect children in our community from physical and sexual abuse of all kinds.”

Sunflower House’s “Let’s Chat” Internet safety program teaches children about the possible dangers of Internet usage, provides practical safety tips and tools, and gives an overview of the cybercrime reporting process. The program was designed by Sunflower House, the Overland Park Police Department and FBI Cyber Crime Task Force.

About Sunflower House
Founded in 1977, Sunflower House is a nonresidential child advocacy and abuse prevention center serving Johnson and Wyandotte Counties. The question, “What would I want for my child if he or she were abused?” drives every decision made at Sunflower House. The agency addresses abuse and neglect through a comprehensive approach that engages children, parents, child-serving professionals and the community in everything it does. Sunflower House is an accredited member of the National Children’s Alliance. Accreditation through this national affiliate ensures adherence to best practice standards of its federally recognized multidisciplinary approach to child abuse investigations.

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About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 107.7 million total wireless connections, including 90.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 83,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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