Verizon’s Total Wireless Supports Working Students with First-Ever Social Impact Program, “Total Spark”

NEW YORK — Total Wireless, a leading provider of premium, affordable and flexible wireless plans covered by the Verizon 5G network, today announces the launch of Total Spark, the latest social impact program from the Verizon Value portfolio.

Designed to support working students, Total Spark is tailor-made to meet the Total Wireless community where they are - whether they’re working full-time and going to school at night, balancing family obligations with school, part-time students pursuing additional training and more.

To help Total Spark truly meet the needs of working students everywhere, the brand commissioned a custom survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adult students ^[¹] to uncover insights on the true needs of working students across the country and found:

• A third (32%) of working students have a job to support their families. Additionally, one-third (32%) of working students rely on government subsidy programs to get by, and a large majority (89%) working students have student loans.
• Nearly three quarters (73%) of working students wish they had additional support to help them with pursuing a career. Career mentorship was indicated as the most useful support service for all students.
• Only 1 in 10 working students strongly agree that they have adequate free time. Time is short for many, as unaided, general time management is the number one obstacle among working students.
• Mobile phones are seen as an essential tool for staying connected by a large majority of working students (90%). This is especially true for students who work full-time, who indicate they rely on mobile phones to stay connected for work and for job searching.

That’s why Total Wireless partnered with Empower Work, a national nonprofit on a mission to build healthier workplaces, to support programs that addressed each of these pain points. Together, Total Wireless and Empower Work identified five nonprofit organizations in Chicago, Dallas, and Detroit to receive grants between $50,000 - $150,000. The grants will fund existing community-oriented programs supporting working students – from job training and skill development to job placement and career advancement. Additionally, Total Spark will enable each grant recipient to host in-person events for working students at predetermined, independently operated Total Wireless retail locations in each city later this year. With many working students indicating the need for career support, Total Spark events will focus programming in this area and on other pressing needs of working students today.

“Our Total Wireless customers are the ultimate go-getters – and we know nobody hustles harder than working students,” Nancy Clark, President of the Verizon Value segment said. “Whether our customers are returning to school or celebrating a recent graduation, connections on-line and off are crucial – our Total Spark program is just a reminder that we are ‘in your corner’ no matter the stage of that journey. We’re proud to support our communities when and where they need it most.”  

In its first year, Total Spark will support the following nonprofits in three cities, with additional expansions planned for the coming years.

Chicago, IL

• The Jane Addams Resource Corporation promotes strong communities, businesses, and households to ensure that people who work do not live in poverty. Throughout the year, JARC offers free manufacturing training in Welding and CNC (Computer Numerical Control), along with wraparound support services to help adults build skills and secure steady, living-wage jobs that bring financial stability to themselves and their families.
• LIFT-Chicago programs invest in families with children ages 0-8 through integrated financial coaching and direct cash support. Additionally, they offer educational and employment coaching for adults, empowering parents to set and achieve goals that put families on the path toward economic mobility through support for going back to school, improving credit, eliminating debt, or securing a living wage.

Dallas, TX

• The Wilkinson Center – whose mission is to transform the lives of Dallas families by providing pathways to self-sufficiency with dignity and respect – serves approximately 24,000 individuals annually through a wide range of programming, including financial coaching, emergency support services, as well as adult education and workforce training.

Detroit, MI

• NPower Michigan is rooted in community and dedicated to empowering young adults and military-connected individuals from low-income communities to thrive in the digital economy. Through transformative, no-cost IT training, industry-recognized credentialing, job placement assistance, and comprehensive social support services, NPower creates clear career pathways to economic mobility and sustainability.
• TechTown Detroit’s mission is to drive economic growth by supporting entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses, particularly those in tech and innovation. For working students, TechTown provides access to resources, networking, and career development opportunities to help them balance work, education, and entrepreneurial goals.

To mark the Total Spark debut, Total is hosting a one-of-a-kind “Career Spark” Fair in Chicago on Friday, June 27 near Wicker Park. Total’s “Career Spark” fair will provide working students in the area with the tools they need to achieve success. Stations are focused on student well-being and career growth and include tips and resources to manage work/life balance, short and long term career opportunities, community resources from our nonprofit partners & Total Spark grant recipients, a headshot station, plenty of Total swag, and more.

On Thursday, June 26, the brand will also take coffee, career and community to new heights at its takeover of the buzzy Oro Coffee & Chocolate coffee shop pop-up, where working students in Chicago can grab a midweek pick-me-up on us, enjoy a quiet place to study and work and get connected to personal and professional development resources.

The Total Spark launch is the latest social impact program under the new Value Cares platform, which reinforces the Verizon Value segment’s focus of empowering communities with the reliable connectivity they need to thrive. Total Spark launched following the success of Visible and its award-winning impact program, Connection Protection, where individuals who experience job loss can receive three months of service with costs covered by Visible and get connected to additional career services support, also provided by Empower Work’s text-line.

"We’re thrilled to build on the success of the Visible Connection Protection program by launching Total Spark,” Jaime-Alexis Fowler, Founder and Executive Director at Empower Work said. “Empower Work exists to help address these very gaps and concerns of today’s diverse workforce – students included. Now through Total Spark, we're helping to scale support for this population in a moment where it is most needed."

For more information on Total Spark and forthcoming programs with its partners, go to https://www.totalwireless.com/total-spark. Interested attendees may reserve a spot for the Total Career Spark Fair in Chicago on Friday, June 27 by signing up here: https://partiful.com/e/pqHAgV3DAi2etV67PFRG.

[1]Total Wireless commissioned KRC Research to conduct a survey among U.S. adult students (n=1,004), including non-working students (n=200) and working students (n=804).​ The study was fielded between May 9-15, 2025.