Verizon Employees Collect More Than 2,200 Children's Books for Donation to Nonprofits and Schools in Ohio as Part of Annual Season's Readings Campaign

MARION, Ohio - Verizon employees across the Buckeye State have collected more than 2,200 books to donate to nonprofit organizations and schools as part of the Verizon Foundation's annual Season's Readings campaign.

Now in its ninth year, the campaign has collected more than 2 million books to aid more than 4,000 schools, libraries and nonprofits across the country.  Among the nonprofits and schools in Ohio receiving books are the Boys and Girls Club of Marion County; Milan Public Library; South Euclid-Lyndhurst School District; and the Columbus Literacy Council.

"This campaign is very special because it gets books into the hands of children to help them develop valuable literacy skills," said Todd Colquitt, president of Verizon Ohio.  "The participation of our employees year after year helps to build more literate communities across Ohio."

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its signature program, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence.  In 2007, the foundation awarded more than $67.4 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad. The foundation also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in $25.1 million in combined contributions. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 3 million hours of community service since Verizon's inception in 2000.

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

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, 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 more than 80 million customers nationwide.  Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,000 and in 2007 generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

####