Virginia Nonprofit Groups Received $4 Million in 2006 from Verizon Foundation to Support Literacy, Education, Domestic Violence Initiatives

RICHMOND, Va. - Verizon's commitment to Virginia proved strong in 2006 through grants for a broad range of programs to improve literacy and education, combat domestic violence and improve health care through the use of technology.

In 2006, the Verizon Foundation - the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications - provided nearly $2 million in grants to 182 nonprofit groups in Virginia, and more than 525 other organizations received a total of $2.1 million through the foundation's Verizon Volunteers program, which rewards employees with matching gifts and grants to nonprofits that employees donate to and support.  Last year, Verizon employees volunteered more than 25,000 hours to nonprofit groups across the commonwealth.

"Verizon has a long-standing record of working to improve the communities in which we operate by serving our customers well and supporting organizations that strive to make a difference in those communities," said Robert W. Woltz Jr., president of Verizon Virginia.  "By supporting these worthy organizations and the volunteer spirit of our employees, we are making a difference in the lives of people across Virginia."

Among the grants awarded by Verizon in 2006 were:

• Training and Development Corporation -- $22,000 for an interactive multimedia Web site with a curriculum on domestic violence awareness for youth.

• Jewish Women International -- $11,500 to establish a children's library at the organization's community domestic abuse shelter.
• Virginia Public Access Project -- $20,000 to develop a computer-mapping project that will identify monetary donations to political candidates and show the percentage of votes a candidate receives from each electoral precinct.
• Chattering Children -- $45,000 to expand an accelerated literacy development program for hearing-impaired children.
• Children's Health Involving Parents (CHIPS) -- $19,300 to fund Safe Steps, which provides support and counseling to families at shelter care facilities for victims of domestic violence.
• New Land Samaritan Inns -- $9,000 to support anger-management classes to prevent domestic violence.
• Children's Hospital of the King's Daughter -- $20,000 to fund its Child Abuse program, which provides training and education to help abused children.
• SCAN of Northern Virginia -- $44,500 to create a Web site and raise awareness to educate the public and increase parents' and caregivers' knowledge about child abuse.

The Verizon Foundation also partnered with Verizon Wireless to award $100,000 in grants to 12 nonprofit organizations throughout Virginia through a domestic violence awareness request-for-proposal program.

Verizon works closely with a variety of advisory groups and nonprofit organizations to identify local needs and to develop and nurture programs that address those needs through the philanthropic support of the Verizon Foundation.

The Verizon Foundation 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 on the foundation, 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.

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