At Verizon, we believe in the power of communications to change lives and are committed to bringing the benefits of our technology to Californians.  Our employees are continuing that commitment, serving millions of customers everyday on the job and contributing their own time for the well-being of our communities.

Verizon has a long-standing tradition of supporting organizations that improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. The 273 nonprofit groups funded in 2007 all share Verizon's vision of creating opportunities for Californians to lead healthier, safer and more productive lives.

Verizon works closely with a variety of advisory groups and nonprofit organizations to identify local needs and to develop and nurture programs that address those needs through the philanthropic support of the Verizon Foundation. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis following a review of online applications. For more details, go to www.verizon.com/foundation

2007 at a Glance

Verizon pledged $8 million to California nonprofits in 2007 for programs that will combat domestic violence, improve healthcare and promote education in technology, literacy, the arts and culture throughout the state. 

2007 Featured Grants

Peace Over Violence, Los Angeles - Peace Over Violence is committed to the mission of building healthy relationships, families and communities free from sexual, domestic and interpersonal violence.  The two year grant will help target high risk, female youth with curriculum education, diverse activities and leadership development.

Web Wise Kids, Santa Ana - Web Wise Kids is an organization committed to equipping today¿s youth to make wise choices online.  The online programs¿based on real-life criminal cases¿use puzzles, games and stories developed by experts in instructional design, learning technology and creativity.  The two year grant will help develop and distribute new Internet safety games especially designed to prevent cell phone victimization, i.e. predatory luring, bullying, identify theft and security issues.

California Indian Museum, Santa Rosa - The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) is a Native American organization dedicated to the advancement of California Indian cultures. Verizon's grant will create a new, modularized and self-paced on-line learning environment.  Through this environment, Native youth will be able to take part in an educational curriculum on Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention through collaboration with its partner organization the National Indian Justice Center.

Camarillo Boys and Girls Club, Camarillo - The Boys and Girls Club of Camarillo provides after school programs for young people between the ages of six through eighteen that will inspire them to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.  The grant will sponsor the Club Thinkfinity program which will serve 200 children who belong to the Boys and Girls Club of Camarillo.   This customized learning plan will be a series of lesson plans that will promote the best academic and literacy advancement for the participants. 

St. Bernadine Medical Center Foundation, San Bernardino - St. Bernadine Medical Center has always been committed to deliver compassionate, high quality, affordable health care to all individuals and families without regard to financial status as well as to partner with others in the community to improve the quality of life.  Verizon's grant will help convert all paper-based personal health records to electronic media in order to more effectively serve patients.

Tim McCallion is joined by San Diego Councilman Jim Maddafer, Senator Christine Kehoe, Patrick Gaston, President of Verizon Foundation, John Palmer, regional president of Verizon Wireless and Casey Gwin, co-founder of the San Diego Family Justice Center Alliance.

Press Release

Verizon Gives $20,000 to Rachel's Women's Center - Domestic Violence Prevention Program

Vice President of Strategic Programs Elva Lima and Asia Powell, manager of strategic programs, presented a $20,000 check to members of the Rachel's Center, a drop-in day center for homeless women in San Diego. The funds will enhance the domestic violence prevention programs including weekly  education sessions and referrals for counseling, housing and legal assistance.

Vice President of Strategic Programs Elva Lima and Asia Powell, manager of strategic programs, presented a $25,000 check to members of  the San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community center.  The grant supports the efforts of the existing Relationship Violence Treatment and Intervention Program to increase awareness of both the signs and symptoms of same-sex domestic violence, and the resources available to couples and families for treatment and intervention.

$250,000 Verizon grant will help African-American Owned Businesses

California State Assemblymember Curren Price, Hilton Augustine Jr., business owner, California Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy Simon, Mary Ann Mitchell, Chair for the National Black Business Council, Aubrey Stone, President/CEO of the California Black Chamber and Earl "Skip" Cooper, President/CEO of the Black Business Association join Tim McCallion, at a press conference in Los Angeles.

The $250,000 grant will create greater opportunities for African-American-owned companies to serve as suppliers to major corporations.  The grant funds the creation of the African-American Supplier Engagement Collaboration, a consortium whose members include the National Black Business Council, the California Black Chamber of Commerce and the Black Business Association.

Verizon Supports Web Wise Kids

Tim McCallion is joined by Judi Westberg Warren, President of Web Wise Kids, Carrie Lopez, Director of the State Department of Consumer Affairs, Katie Canton, Ambassador to Youth for Web Wise Kids and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca at the Verizon press conference.

Press Release
KNX Newsradio: "Business Hour" Interview 

Tim McCallion Becomes Chair of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

During the chamber's inaugural ceremony, Tim McCallion shared the stage with Governor Arnold Schwarznegger as well as Verizon's "network" and other award recipients of the evening. The event took place in Beverly Hills.

On January 31, 2008 Tim McCallion was inaugurated as the Chair for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger along with other elected officials attended the ceremony. As Chair, McCallion will lead the Chamber to work with governing agencies to reduce red tape and make Los Angeles a business-friendly environment.

He will work to promote Southern California¿s assets such as its top tier universities and its rich diverse population.  As one of his goals, McCallion announced that the Chamber will have a new scholarship fund aimed at minority students in the areas of science and technology, and Verizon will make an initial grant of $10,000 to kick off the fund.

Los Angeles Domestic Violence Prevention Collaborative Raises Awareness in Communities of Color

Stewart Kwoh, president and executive director of the Asian Pacific American Legal Center address the the audience at the press conference.  He was joined on stage by John Trasvina, president and general counsel of MALDEF, Tim McCallion, president of Verizon West Region and Blair Taylor, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League.

Verizon and three leading civil rights groups premiered a series of public service announcements that raise awareness of domestic violence in Southern California¿s Latino, African American and Asian communities.  The 30-second PSAs in English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin and Vietnamese provide domestic violence victims with information about resource in their community they can use to protect themselves.  The PSAs will air on a variety of traditional and new media outlets reaching millions of potential viewers.

View the PSAs, available in the feature box on the upper right side of this page.

James Earl Jones reads to fourth and fifth graders from Figueroa Elementary School in Los Angeles.

LA's Best after school program received a surprise guest when actor James Earl Jones stopped by Figueroa Elementary School to read to a group of fourth and fifth graders.  The children were treated to a reading from the book Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose.  LA's Best program received $1 million over two years to expand its literacy effort in some of Los Angeles lowest performing schools.  The grant has also allowed for the creation of learning demonstration sites that are serving over 400 children daily in the San Fernando Valley and South Los Angeles.

James Earl Jones and 4th graders from Tincher Preparatory and their teacher Chris Eckert participate in a Thinkfinity demonstration.

Verizon and the Long Beach Education foundation launched a project to explore ways in which the treasure trove of educational resources available through Verizon's free and innovative Thinkfinity.org Web site can enrich the learning experience in elementary school classrooms.  Legendary Actor James Earl Jones participated in the launch of the project at Long Beach's Mark Twain Library by reading "Jack and the Beanstalk" to a group of 4th grade students from Tincher Preparatory School.

Thinkfinity is the cornerstone of Verizon Foundation's Literacy, Education and Technology initiatives. This free, comprehensive digital learning platform is built upon the merger of two highly-acclaimed programs well-known to educators Verizon MarcoPolo and the Thinkfinity Literacy Network. Thinkfinity is designed to improve learning in traditional settings and beyond the classroom by providing high-caliber content and professional development needed to improve student achievement anytime, anywhere, at no cost.
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