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Verizon Foundation Provides Funding for 11 South Carolina Literacy Programs

Posted on: Wednesday, 25 October 2006, 12:00 CDT

COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Eleven South Carolina literacy programs will receive a total of $52,231 from the Verizon Foundation -- the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications -- to support programs ranging from basic reading skills to learning English to improving computer literacy. The grants complete the last phase of the foundation's funding in South Carolina for 2006.

The foundation announced in July that it would award grants to support literacy programs conducted by qualifying 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in the state and asked the organizations to submit proposals. The foundation received 24 proposals by the deadline at the end of August.

"A literate society continues to be the key component toward meeting many of the challenges facing America today," said Alan Ciamporcero, Verizon's Southeast region president. "If you can read, you can do anything -- there really is no limit. That is why the Verizon Foundation has chosen to make improved literacy skills a very important plank in its overall platform of support."

Winners and their specific grant-supported programs are: Allendale County First Steps Expansion of a book-distribution program Partnership Board - Allendale for underserved children under the age of 5 in Allendale County. Briggs-Delaine Cultural Funding for Phase Two of the Literacy Center - Summerton and Educational Achievement Project. Fairfield County Literacy Computer-based pre-GED classes for the Council - Winnsboro citizens of Fairfield County. Georgetown County First Steps Child-care scholarships for at-risk Partnership - Georgetown Hispanic families, enabling them to attend a program that includes a strong English- language-learning component. Georgetown High School/Howard Educational services, including a strong Adult Center - Georgetown literacy program, incorporating welfare- to-workforce activities in rural areas of Georgetown County. Greenville Literacy Literacy instruction materials for Association - Greenville volunteer tutors, to be used in both adult basic education and English as a second language programs. Laurens County Literacy Project Catch Up will provide technology Council - Laurens updates for the Learning Lab. Operation Outreach USA Literacy education program for all pre K - (Bishopville Primary School - third grade students at the school; Bishopville and St. Teresa literacy program for adults and children Comm. Outreach and in the St. Teresa literacy preparedness Empowerment) - Lake City program. Reach Out and Read South Expansion of existing literacy programs in Carolina - Columbia South Carolina. South Carolina Council on Training for K-5 teachers on using Economic Education - Columbia children's literature to enhance economics and history education. United Way of Sumter, Building literacy through technology will Clarendon and Lee provide classroom computers and children's Counties - Sumter books for private childcare programs serving at-risk preschool children.

Verizon delivers technology that touches life. The Verizon Foundation uses that technology and its financial resources to improve literacy and K-12 education; help families victimized by domestic violence; and improve the delivery of health care. In 2005, the foundation awarded more than $74 million in grants to charitable and nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, which is one of the largest employee volunteer programs in the United States and responsible for 2 million hours of community service since 2000 and $35.6 million in combined contributions to nonprofits in 2005 alone.

For more information on the foundation, visit http://www.verizon.com/foundation.

Verizon Communications Inc. , a Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 55 million customers nationwide. Verizon Business operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks. Verizon Telecom is deploying the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of more than 252,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion. For more information, visit http://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 http://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.

Verizon

CONTACT: Bob Elek, +1-813-483-2541, bob.elek@verizon.com

Web site: http://www.verizon.com/http://www.verizon.com/newshttp://www.verizon.com/foundation

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

Source: PRNewswire

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