Verizon Contributes $40,000 to Domestic Violence Prevention Efforts in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- To coincide with Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), Verizon has issued two grants to Nashville-area domestic violence agencies to engage men in ending domestic violence. The grants, which total $40,000, stem from the Verizon Foundation's initiative to invest in organizations that provide domestic violence education, prevention, victim relief and empowerment resources.

Both agencies – the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic Violence and Sexual Violenceⁱ and the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennesseeⁱⁱ – will use the $20,000 Verizon grants to fund programs educating and engaging Tennessee men to end domestic violence against women.

"Through programs and services for men, we hope to raise awareness on the effects of domestic violence against women and to educate the community on preventing these acts," said Kathy Walsh, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence.

"Verizon is committed to helping agencies create educational programs to help end domestic violence," said Jerry Fountain, president for Verizon Wireless in the Carolinas and Tennessee. "We support organizations like these as they continually work to better their communities through education, outreach and advocacy."

In addition to the Nashville-area agencies, the Knoxville Family Justice Center also received a grant from the Verizon Foundation this month.

For more than a decade, Verizon, through its various business units and its philanthropic foundation, has been a champion of ending domestic violence.  For more information on the Verizon Foundation, please visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

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 more than 100 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. A Dow 30 company with nearly $116 billion in 2012 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 180,900. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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ⁱhttp://tncoalition.org/#/about-us.html  
ⁱⁱhttp://ywcanashville.com/  

SOURCE Verizon Foundation