Verizon Literacy Grants

==Forty-five Pennsylvania Nonprofits Reap More Than $235,000 in Literacy Grants From Verizon==
:Wed Oct 14, 2009
====Landline Customers' Donations Through Verizon's 'Check Into Literacy' Program Supports Literacy Across the Keystone State====
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- A dollar a month may not seem like
much, but it can go a long way to improving literacy skills in local
communities across Pennsylvania while also giving people the opportunity to
succeed.
Thanks to the generosity of Verizon's Pennsylvania landline customers who
participated in the company's Check Into Literacy program, 45 nonprofit
organizations throughout the state have received more than $235,000 in grants
to support their literacy programs.
"This program is a classic example of a little bit going a long way to address
a significant challenge for our society," said Gale Y. Given, president of
Verizon Pennsylvania. "Verizon customers who participated in the program have
shown how much they care about literacy and our communities, and we applaud
them for it."
The program allows Verizon landline phone customers to support literacy by
checking a box on their monthly phone bills to make a $1 tax-deductible
donation to promote literacy. Verizon then distributes these donations to
local literacy organizations that serve the individual states the customers
live in.
Contributions from Pennsylvania residents are part of more than $1.1 million
given to literacy organizations throughout the country through the Check Into
Literacy program.
Grants have been awarded to the following organizations:
* American Literacy Corporation, Harrisburg - $10,000
* Art Sanctuary, Philadelphia - $2,500
* Beaver County Educational Trust, Beaver - $3,500
* Beginning with Books, Pittsburgh - $10,000
* Bethlehem Area Public Library, Bethlehem - $5,000
* Byerschool Foundation, Philadelphia - $5,000
 -- Byron Story Foundation, Philadelphia - $5,000
 -- Care Center of West Chester, West Chester - $3,500
 -- Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Chester - $5,000
 -- Citizens Library, Washington - $3,500
 -- Community Learning Center, Philadelphia - $3,500
 -- Community Foundation of Fayette County/Uniontown Public Library, Uniontown - $5,000
 -- Cumberland County Library System, Cumberland - $5,000
 -- Dimmick Memorial Library, Jim Thorpe - $5,000
 -- Erie County Public Library, Erie - $5,000
 -- Free Library of Philadelphia - $25,000
 -- Glenside Friends/Cheltenham Township Library System, Glenside - $5,000
 -- Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council, Pittsburgh - $10,000
 -- Gwen's Girls, Pittsburgh - $6,000
 -- The Immigrant Center for the Greater Pittsburgh Region / The Welcome Center, Pittsburgh - $3,500
 -- Literacy Council for Schuylkill County, Pottsville - $5,000
 -- Louis Harris Center for Youth Development, Philadelphia - $2,500
 -- Manheim Township Public Library, Lancaster - $5,000
 -- Mid-State Literacy Council Inc., State College - $3,900
 -- Morrisville Free Library Association, Morrisville - $5,000
 -- Penn Wood Elementary School, West Chester - $5,000
 -- The Pittsburgh Project, Pittsburgh - $3,500
 -- Pocono Services for Family & Children, Stroudsburg - $2,500
 -- Reading Area Community College, Reading - $5,000
 -- Reading is FUNdamental, Pittsburgh - $5,000
 -- Reese Street Community Center, Philadelphia - $5,000
 -- Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Grade School, Philadelphia - $5,000
 -- School District of Pittsburgh / Beechwood Elementary School, Pittsburgh - $10,000
 -- Schenley Heights Community Development Program, Pittsburgh - $7,000
 -- Scranton Council for Literacy Advance, Scranton - $2,500
 -- Silver Springs-Martin Luther School, Plymouth Meeting - $3,500
 -- Tickets for Kids, Pittsburgh - $5,000
 -- Urban League of Lancaster County, Lancaster - $2,000
 -- Valley Forge Educational Services c/o The Crossroads School, Paoli - $3,500
 -- Volunteer English Program, West Chester - $3,500
 -- Washington County Literacy Council, Washington - $3,500
 -- Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale - $5,000
 -- West Oak Lane Charter School, Philadelphia - $5,000
 -- York County Literacy Council, York - $3,000
 -- YWCA of Westmoreland County, Greensburg - $3,500
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 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $68
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 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 3 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 87 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations
provide converged communications, information and entertainment services over
the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. Wireline also includes
Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to
customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse
workforce of more than 235,000 and last year generated consolidated operating
revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit
www.verizon.com.
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SOURCE Verizon
Lee Gierczynski, +1-412-633-5574, lee.j.gierczynski@verizon.com