Verizon Foundation Matches Employee Donations 2 to 1 to Aid Victims of Hurricane Katrina

NEW YORK - The Verizon Foundation has started a 2-to-1 match for every dollar donated by Verizon employees to the American Red Cross to aid relief efforts in New Orleans and sections of Alabama, Florida and Mississippi that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

More than $1.2 million was raised in the first day as part of this special disaster relief campaign. The total consists of more than $400,000 in employee contributions and more than $800,000 in matching funds from the Verizon Foundation.

Employees are logging on to the Verizon Foundation or the corporate intranet Web sites and making their pledges in response to one of the worst natural disasters to hit the United States.

"Verizon employees are always quick to provide humanitarian aid in the wake of tragic events. Matching disaster relief funding encourages employees' instinctive kindness, but it also triples the net amount going to some of the most needy areas," said Patrick Gaston, president of the Verizon Foundation. "Our hearts go out to all those affected by Hurricane Katrina, and we continue to explore ways we can lend our human, technological and philanthropic strengths to relief efforts."

Verizon is also making it possible for its customers to donate to the Red Cross through clicking on the link to Red Cross on the Verizon.com and VerizonWireless.com Web sites.

Also, Verizon Wireless customers can donate to relief efforts via text-messaging from their wireless devices.

More information is available at www.verizon.com/foundation.

The Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications. In 2004, the foundation awarded more than 26,000 grants totaling over $70 million to charitable and nonprofit agencies that focus on improving literacy, computer and technology skills, and identifying domestic violence solutions. The foundation uses its resources in the United States and abroad to develop partnerships in technology and connect them with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, and the economically and socially disadvantaged.

The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that last year encouraged Verizon employees to volunteer 528,000 hours in their communities and provided $37.6 million in combined contributions to charitable and nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications Inc.

With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon has a diverse work force of more than 214,000 in four business units: Domestic Telecom provides customers based in 28 states with wireline and other telecommunications services, including broadband. Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 47.4 million voice and data customers across the United States. Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services. International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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