Verizon Foundation Pledges $1.2 Million to Provide Relief to Hurricane Sandy Victims

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Nov. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Verizon Foundation will match $1 million being raised by customers through the Verizon Text to Donate program to the American Red Cross to help provide immediate relief to those impacted by Hurricane Sandy.  Verizon Wireless customers can make a $10 donation by texting REDCROSS to 90999.  To provide additional relief, the Verizon Foundation is also donating $200,000 to nonprofit agencies in New Jersey and New York that are assisting with local efforts.  In addition, the foundation is providing a 2-to-1 match of employee online donations to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

"Our hearts go to those impacted by this disaster, and we are leveraging our resources to help mend communities," said Rose Stuckey Kirk, president of the Verizon Foundation.  "From our employees who are working round-the-clock to reconnect our customers, to our support of national and local relief agencies, we are committed to supporting our communities, especially in times of crisis."

Text messaging fees will be waived, and 100 percent of each donation goes directly to the American Red Cross.  Verizon Wireless customers who pay monthly bills will see their donations on the next regular monthly bill. For customers using the company's prepaid services, donations will be taken from customers' prepaid balances.     

Additional Help and Support From Verizon

• Charge Your Devices: To support those in areas impacted by Hurricane Sandy, Verizon Wireless has also set up multiple mobile device charging stations to assist those still without power.
• Wireless Service: For more information on Verizon Wireless efforts related to Hurricane Sandy, visit the Emergency Information Center.
• Report a Problem: Customers can contact Verizon online at www.verizon.com/outage to report any wireline service-related issues; or call 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966). Please note that hold times will be longer than normal due to higher calling volumes.
• Enterprise Updates: Regular news updates from Verizon Enterprise Solutions are located at www.verizonbusiness.com/info/hurricane.

The Verizon Foundation is focused on accelerating social change by using the company's innovative technology to help solve pressing problems in education, health care and energy management. 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 6.2 million hours of service to make a positive difference in their communities. For more information about Verizon's philanthropic work, visit www.verizonfoundation.org; or for regular updates, visit the Foundation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/verizonfoundation) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/verizongiving).

About Verizon
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 96 million retail customers 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 $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 184,500.  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 email, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

SOURCE The Verizon Foundation

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