Pennsylvania Community Colleges Get Help from Verizon For Workforce Development Projects

PHILADELPHIA -- Five Pennsylvania community college programs that use technology to promote workforce development will receive grants totaling $230,000 from Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications.

Residents throughout Pennsylvania are expected to benefit from the innovative projects targeted to help college-age and adult students prepare for the workplace.

"These grants will expand the educational opportunities for students and improve the ability of Pennsylvania's community colleges to serve their communities," said Daniel J. Whelan, president and CEO of Verizon Pennsylvania. "Verizon is strongly committed to supporting programs that use technology to educate Pennsylvanians and strengthen the economic vitality of our communities."

Grant recipients include:

• Cambria County Area Community College -- $50,000 to establish a wireless mobile laptop computer lab in the six-county southern Alleghenies region to expand the capabilities of information technology.

• Lehigh Carbon Community College -- $50,000 to provide courses in computer and work place skills for women, minorities and people with disabilities in Lehigh, Carbon and Schuykill counties.

• Luzerne County Community College -- $50,000 to establish a wireless, portable computer lab for the online GED (general equivalency diploma) connection at the college's Hazelton and downtown Wilkes-Barre centers. The online GED connection is designed to help the Adult Learners Training and Assistance Program address the needs of Hispanics and other minority populations in these communities.

• Montgomery County Community College -- $50,000 for the Regional Center for Excellence in Workforce Education and Training to provide customized educational and training programs to meet workforce development needs in the Pottstown region.

• Northampton Community College -- $30,000 to create a Technology Tool Kit with computer applications and classroom learning activities for minority students in Monroe, Pike, Wayne and Northampton counties.

Verizon Foundation received proposals from 11 community colleges in Verizon Pennsylvania's service areas. Each proposal was evaluated based on how the use of technology could benefit students and teachers; what the project's impact would be on the community; how it would demonstrate collaborations to improve organizational efficiency; and how results would be measured.

Verizon Foundation is committed to helping people and communities make progress every day. The foundation supports a variety of programs that focus on improving basic and computer literacy, bridging the digital divide, enriching communities through technology and creating a skilled work force. The foundation promotes partnerships in technology with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, and the economically and socially disadvantaged. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that encourages Verizon employees to volunteer in their communities and provides matching gifts to nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 135.0 million access line equivalents and 31.5 million Verizon Wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. With more than $67 billion in annual revenues and more than 236,000 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 35 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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