Verizon Foundation Provides $160,000 to 13 Agencies to Support Domestic
Violence Survivors in Massachusetts
Grants Will Help Raise Awareness and Provide Support Throughout the Bay State
HOLYOKE, Mass., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- To help address the continuing problem
of domestic violence, the Verizon Foundation is donating $160,000 to 13
nonprofit agencies for use in education, advocacy, support and prevention
initiatives across Massachusetts.
The grants, part of Verizon's recognition of October as Domestic Violence
Awareness Month, were awarded at a ceremony Friday (Oct. 23) at Heritage State
Park. Holyoke Mayor Michael Sullivan hosted the event, and Verizon New England
President Donna Cupelo presented the awards.
Guest speaker Karen Cavanaugh, executive director of Womanshelter/Companeras
of Holyoke, one of the grant recipients, told attendees: "By funding
innovative programs like Womanshelter/Companeras' Victim Resource Workshops,
the Verizon Foundation demonstrates a commitment to helping all victims of
domestic violence. Their level of concern and support strengthens our
families, our agencies and our communities."
Supporting initiatives to increase awareness of the problem of domestic
violence is a major concentration for Verizon and its philanthropic
activities. In the past three years, the company has awarded approximately
$500,000 to nonprofits that focus on domestic violence in Massachusetts.
"Domestic violence is a problem that affects all members of families and tears
at the basic fabric of our society," said Verizon's Cupelo. "These funds will
go a long way in helping to educate Massachusetts residents about abuse, the
steps needed for prevention, and assisting those people who are trapped in
abusive relationships to get help and restore their lives."
The organizations receiving Verizon grants are:
-- Abby Kelly Foster's House of Worcester
-- Close to Home of Dorchester
-- Elizabeth Freeman Center Inc. of Pittsfield
-- Elizabeth Stone House of Jamaica Plain
-- Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project of Cambridge
-- Healthcare of Southeastern Massachusetts of Brockton
-- Manet Community Health Center of Quincy
-- Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers of Cambridge/Lowell
-- New Bedford Women's Center of New Bedford
-- Northeastern University School of Law Domestic Violence Institute of
Boston
-- Portal to Hope of Medford
-- Reach Beyond Domestic Violence of Waltham
-- Womanshelter/Companeras of Holyoke
Verizon has a long history of supporting domestic violence prevention and
awareness through the Verizon Wireless Hopeline® phone recycling program and
through the Verizon Foundation.
Verizon Wireless Hopeline collects no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries
and accessories, and puts them to work in the community by turning them into
support for domestic violence survivors. Phones collected through Hopeline
recycling drives are refurbished, recycled or sold, and proceeds are donated
to domestic violence advocacy groups in the form of cash grants and prepaid
wireless phones for survivors. Phones that cannot be refurbished are disposed
of in an environmentally sound manner.
The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications,
supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education and fosters awareness
and prevention of domestic violence. In 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded
$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 89 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 230,000 and last year generated consolidated
revenues of more than $97 billion. 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 e-mail, visit the News
Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news
releases.
SOURCE Verizon
Media, Phil Santoro, +1-617-743-4760, philip.g.santoro@verizon.com, or Ellen
Cummings, +1-413-731-8606, ellen.m.cummings@verizon.com, both of Verizon
