Portland-Based Literacy Program Receives $10,779 Raised Through Verizon’s Check Into Literacy Program

    BEAVERTON, Ore., Aug. 19 /EMWNews/ -- Thanks to the generosity of

Verizon customers who participated in the company's Check Into Literacy

program, a Portland-based organization, Start Making A Reader Today

(SMART), has received $10,779 to deliver literacy support in

kindergarten-through-third-grade classrooms throughout Oregon.



    The Check Into Literacy initiative allows Verizon landline phone

customers to make a $1-a-month, tax-deductible donation to literacy

programs when customers pay their Verizon bill. In 2007, Verizon collected

$10,779 through the program in Oregon.



    "A dollar a month may not seem like much, but it can go a long way to

improving literacy skills in local communities and giving people the

opportunity to succeed," said Gene Eng, vice president of Verizon's Oregon

region. "Literacy is the foundation of a successful future, and Verizon is

proud to partner with our customers and SMART to promote their vision of an

Oregon in which every child can read and is empowered to succeed."



    Thanks to the generosity of Verizon customers who support Check Into

Literacy, nonprofit organizations in 26 states and Washington, D.C., will

receive more than $1.15 million to bolster literacy efforts this year. The

participating states are: Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho,

Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North

Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania,

Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia,

Washington and Wisconsin.



    The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon

Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education

through its signature program, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and

prevention of domestic violence. In 2007, the foundation awarded more than

$67.4 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the United States and

abroad. The foundation also matched the charitable donations of Verizon

employees and retirees, resulting in $25.1 million in combined

contributions. 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 Verizon's

inception in 2000.



    For more information on the foundation, visit

http://www.verizon.com/foundation.



    Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), headquartered in New York, 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 69 million customers nationwide. Verizon's

Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and

seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon

Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications,

information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced

fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce

of more than 228,600 and last year generated consolidated operating

revenues of $93.5 billion. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com.



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