Verizon Customers Help Improve Literacy in Their Communities by Donating More Than $1.28 million To Nonprofit Organizations Through Monthly Program

NEW YORK - A dollar a month may not seem like much, but it can go a long way to improving literacy skills in local communities and giving people the opportunity to succeed.

Thanks to Verizon telephone customers who participated in Verizon's convenient Check Into Literacy Program, nonprofit organizations throughout 26 states and Washington, D.C., will receive more than $1.28 million to bolster local literacy efforts.

The Check Into Literacy Program enables Verizon landline telephone customers to support literacy by simply checking a box on their monthly phone bills to make a $1 tax-deductible donation. Verizon then distributes the donations to local literacy organizations that serve the individual states the customers live in.

"The generosity of our customers and the commitment of our Verizon employee volunteers go hand-in-hand in our grassroots campaign to continue the important work of improving literacy in our communities," said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston.

Residents of Washington, D.C., and the following states took part in the program: Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Residents of the following states contributed the greatest amount to the program: Pennsylvania, $304,001; New Jersey, $186,386; Massachusetts, $126,763; California, $95,046; and Maryland, $78,477.

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, is committed to improving literacy and K-12 education; fostering awareness and prevention of domestic violence; and promoting the use of technology in health-care delivery.  In 2006, the foundation awarded more than $69 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad. The foundation also matched charitable donations from Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $29 million in combined contributions. Under the foundation's Verizon Volunteer initiative, one of the nation's largest employee-volunteer programs, company employees and retirees have also contributed nearly 3 million hours of community service since Verizon's inception in 2000.

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

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a New York-based 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's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####