Verizon Enlists Employees, Customers to Assist Victims of Colorado Wildfire

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon is calling on its employees and customers to join in assisting the victims of the historic wildfire in the Black Forest area outside Colorado Springs.  The Verizon Foundation is providing a $10,000 grant to the American Red Cross for disaster relief in the area, and the foundation will provide a 1-to-1 match of employee online donations (from $25 up to $1,000 per employee) to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. 

In addition, Verizon Wireless customers can make a $10 donation by texting REDCROSS to 90999 to support the Red Cross or STORM to 80888 to support the Salvation Army.  Text messaging fees will be waived and 100 percent of each donation goes directly to the receiving organization.  Verizon Wireless customers who pay monthly bills will see their donations on their next regular monthly bill.  For customers using the company's prepaid services, donations will be taken from their prepaid balances.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of this destructive fire, and to the brave men and women who are battling the blaze round-the-clock," said Chris Lewter, Verizon Wireless Mountain Region president.  "Verizon employees work and live in these communities, and we're committed to supporting our neighbors."

(NOTE: Click here for more information on Verizon's response to the Black Forest fire.)

The Verizon Foundation helps people to live healthy, safe and independent lives by addressing disparities in education, healthcare and sustainability.  Since 2000, the Verizon Foundation has invested more than half a billion dollars to improve the communities where Verizon employees work and live.  Verizon's employees are generous with their donations and their time, having logged more than 6.8 million hours of service to make a positive difference in their communities. For more information, visit www.verizonfoundation.org. 

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with nearly 99 million retail connections nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with nearly $116 billion in 2012 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 181,900.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.  

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts and other information are available at Verizon's online News Center at newscenter.verizon.com.  The news releases are available through an RSS feed.  To subscribe, visit newscenter.verizon.com/corporate/feeds.

SOURCE Verizon

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