Verizon Foundation Awarded Nearly $3.9 Million in Community Grants in 2010 to Support Nonprofit Organizations in Mass.

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BOSTON, Jan. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nonprofit groups in Massachusetts received nearly $ 3.9 million from the Verizon Foundation in 2010. The majority of the funds went to organizations that support education, literacy, domestic violence prevention, health care technology and Internet safety.  

In addition, Verizon employees volunteered more than 48,000 hours to nonprofit groups throughout the state in 2010.

"Verizon is driven by its employees to use the innovative power of our technology – and our philanthropic dollars – to address critical social issues," said Donna C. Cupelo, region president of Verizon New England. "We are proud to partner with key nonprofit organizations throughout Massachusetts to be a positive force for change in communities in greatest need."

Programs and organizations supported by the Verizon Foundation in 2010 include:

• Domestic Violence Solutions Awards – Grants totaling $165,000 were awarded to 15 agencies that provide services to survivors of domestic violence across Massachusetts. The agencies are: Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, Boston; Casa Myrna Vazquez, Boston; DOVE Inc., Quincy; Elizabeth Freeman Center, Pittsfield; Emerge: Men's Counseling Service on Domestic Violence, Cambridge; Girls Incorporated of Worcester; Healing Abuse Working for Change, Salem; Impact, Malden; Jane Doe Inc., Boston; Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, Newburyport; Katie Brown Educational Program, Fall River; New England Learning Center for Women in Transition, Greenfield; Safe Passage, Northampton; Voices Against Violence, Framingham; and Womanshelter/Companeras, Holyoke.
• Assistive Technology – The Verizon Foundation, which is committed to improving access to information and services that address the needs of people with disabilities, awarded $55,000 to five Massachusetts nonprofit agencies that are dedicated to improving accessibility.  They are: Lowell Association for the Blind, Children's Hospital Deaf and Hard of Hearing program, Easter Seals Massachusetts, National Braille Press and New England Home for the Deaf.
• English as a Second Language – Twelve nonprofit organizations that offer English as a Second Language (ESL) literacy programs throughout Massachusetts received a total of $10,000.  The organizations are: the Asian American Civic Association, Boston; Center for New Americans, Northampton; College Bound Dorchester; English at Large, Medford; Friends of West Springfield Public Library; Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester; Ludlow Area Adult Learning Center; North Shore Community College Foundation, Danvers; Operation Bootstrap, Lynn; Quincy Asian Resources, Quincy; Top Floor Learning, Palmer; and University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Foundation.
• Think Ahead with Thinkfinity Awards – Fifteen Massachusetts school districts received a total of $150,000 to use Verizon Thinkfinity to help improve student achievement in science, technology, engineering and math.  The schools are: Agawam Public Schools; Arlington High School; Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School, Marlborough; Boston Collegiate Charter School; Gardner Middle School; Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District; Joyce Kilmer Upper School, Boston; Malden Public Schools; Natick Public Schools; Nauset Regional School District, Orleans; Northborough-Southborough Regional School District; Norton Public Schools; Phoenix Charter Academy, Chelsea; William E. Norris School, Southampton; and Wrentham Public Schools.

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, uses its technology, financial resources and partnerships to address critical social issues, with a focus on education and domestic violence prevention. In 2010, the foundation awarded nearly $67 million to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered nearly 6 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, 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 mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 94.1 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 more than 194,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon