Pennsylvania Nonprofits Received More Than $3.8 million in 2009 From the Verizon Foundation to Support Education, Literacy and Domestic Violence Prevention Initiatives

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 1,450 nonprofit groups in Pennsylvania received more than $3.8 million from the Verizon Foundation in 2009, enabling recipient organizations to improve literacy skills, enhance educational opportunities for children, and assist domestic violence survivors.

In addition, Verizon employees volunteered more than 53,000 hours to nonprofit groups throughout the Keystone State in 2009.

"Verizon and its employees are proud to partner with nonprofit organizations throughout Pennsylvania to bring about positive change in the areas of education, domestic violence prevention and Internet safety," said Gale Y. Given, president of Verizon Pennsylvania.

Among the grants awarded by Verizon in 2009 were:

• WHYY Inc., Philadelphia – $45,000 for the WHYY I Like This Book literacy initiative for K-12 youth.

• Children's Literacy Initiative , Philadelphia – $30,000 for a model kindergarten classroom in a School District of Philadelphia elementary school.

• Anti-Defamation League, Philadelphia – $25,500 for the 2010 Cyberbullying Conference for educators and students.

• Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, Enola – $24,800 for the Cumberland County Internet Safety program.

• West Penn Allegheny Health System, Pittsburgh – $24,800 for a technology trial to improve health care through improved hand hygiene.

• Harrisburg Public School Foundation, Harrisburg – $22,500 for the Connected Learning Communities Project to Improve 21st Century Learning Skills.

• Berks Economic Partnership, Reading – $20,000 for an Internet safety awareness program.

• Manheim Township Public Library, Lancaster – $20,000 for the Teen Tech Tutor Program where teens help teach computer skills to seniors.

• St. Luke's Hospital & Health Network, Bethlehem – $20,000 for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program at St. Luke's Quakertown Hospital location.

• La Comunidad Hispana Inc., Kennett Square – $15,000 for English As a Second Language (ESL) parenting course/self-sufficiency course/smart choices program.

• Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education (PAACE), Pittsburgh – $15,000 for ESL, GED, family literacy and professional development statewide conference for educators and administrators.

• Weller Center for Health Education, Easton – $14,000 for the Dating Violence Education and Prevention program for northeastern Pennsylvania communities.

• Crisis Center North, Pittsburgh – $10,000 for a domestic violence advocacy program.

• Harrisburg Area Community College Foundation, Harrisburg – $8,000 for the Lebanon Valley Literacy Festival.

• Iroquois School District, Erie – $5,000 for professional learning communities for reading/literacy and math.

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence.  In 2009, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $67.5 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad.  It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $26.1 million in combined contributions to nonprofits.  Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 5 million hours of community service since 2000.  For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 91 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of approximately 222,900 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news.  To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE Verizon

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