VerizonA leader in fiber optics, Verizon offers phone, Internet, TV, wireless and service bundles to residential, business, government and wholesale clients.
Verizon California
 April 2009

 
California Nonprofits Received $8 Million in 2008 from the Verizon Foundation to Promote Literacy, Improve Health Care and Prevent Domestic Violence


 

 
More than 320 nonprofit groups in California received $8 million from the Verizon Foundation in 2008, enabling recipient organizations to enhance literacy skills, improve health care through the use of technology, and help domestic violence survivors rebuild their lives.
 
Verizon works closely with a variety of nonprofit organizations to identify local needs and to nurture them through the philanthropic support of the Verizon Foundation. Among the grants awarded in 2008, Verizon targeted:
  • $1.9 million to domestic violence awareness and prevention programs.
  • $2.7 million to fund education and literacy achievement initiatives.
  • $576,000 to improve health care through technology.
In addition, thousands of domestic violence survivors in California benefited from Verizon Wireless' HopeLine® phone recycling program which provided more than $1.2 million in phones, free airtime and cash grants to domestic violence prevention agencies throughout California.
 
"Verizon has a long-standing tradition of working to improve the communities where we operate by supporting organizations that strive to make a difference in the lives of individuals in the community," said Tim McCallion, president of Verizon's West region. "Through grants and the generous contributions of time and talent from our employees, we are having a positive impact on our communities."
 
 
Congress of California Seniors and Self-Help for the Elderly Receive $300,000 from Verizon to Fund a Program to Combat Elder Abuse
 
 $300,000 from Verizon to Fund a Program to Combat Elder Abuse
(from left to right) Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal, Anni Chung, Self-Help for the Elderly, Tim McCallion, Verizon, Hank Lacayo, Congress of California Seniors, and Senator Elaine Alquist.
The Congress of California Seniors, Self-Help for the Elderly, and Verizon announced in February a partnership to create an elder-abuse awareness program for senior citizens in Santa Clara and Ventura counties, thanks to $300,000 from the Verizon Foundation.
 
Through the program, The Commitment to End Abuse of  Seniors and Elders (CEASE), the organizations will partner with local senior service providers and domestic violenceprevention groups to implement an education and outreach campaign, publish multi-lingual education materials, and direct information about local resources available to victims and family members.
 
Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, chair of the Aging and Long-Term Care Committee, said, "This couldn't come at a better time.  The need is growing and our resources are shrinking. This kind of help is more important than ever."
 
Raising awareness of domestic violence and aiding in its prevention is a key social issue for the Verizon Foundation. This partnership is the latest step in Verizon's ongoing commitment to the issue.
 
"Our senior citizen population is among the most vulnerable when it comes to the issue of abuse," said Tim McCallion, Verizon West Region president. "Through this partnership with the Congress of California Seniors and Self-Help for the Elderly, Verizon hopes to create positive change in the lives of our seniors and end the cycle of violence."
 
 
 

Verizon Recognized for its Commitment to Supplier Diversity

Verizon Receives Recognition from the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (SACC) and National Recognition from the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elva Lima (center), Verizon vice-president of strategic programs, recieves the 2009 Vision Award on behalf of Verizon California. With SACC CEO Pat Kushida Fong (right) and Alice Perez, Chair of the SACC Board (left). 
Verizon's commitment to supplier diversity and its support of the minority and women owned business community has earned the company recognition from the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of  Commerce (SACC) and the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. 
 
Verizon was honored for partnering with the SACC to establish www.connect-here.org, an online portal designed to help small businesses find the necessary resources to compete for private and public contracts.
 
Additionally, for the fourth consecutive year, Verizon has been named to the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council annual list of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprise.
 
The WBENC’s list recognizes corporations for world-class programs that create level playing fields for women’s business enterprises to compete for corporate contracts. In 2008 alone, Verizon conducted $3.5 billion worth of business with diverse suppliers including women-owned businesses.   
 
Elva Lima, vice president of Verizon strategic programs, said, "Verizon's commitment to supplier diversity is as much about smart business as it is about doing the right thing.  "This recognition reinforces our commitment to supplier diversity and to the small-business community." 

Verizon’s Supplier Diversity Program works to create mutually beneficial business relationships with a diverse body of suppliers. Cultivating and developing minority, women, disabled veteran business enterprises not only benefits Verizon, but is critical to maintaining Verizon's competitive edge in our ever-changing global economy.

Verizon Targets Energy Conservation Initiatives for Its Networks

 
Company Products, Including Broadband, Reduce Customer Energy Consumption
Stating that “we’re examining every way that we and our customers can use energy to promote savings,” Verizon’s network energy conservation expert outlined on March 4, 2009 the major initiatives the company is undertaking to conserve energy in the communications network and to help its customers do so too.
 
In 2008, Verizon added 200 hybrid cars to its fleet, reducing CO2 emissions by 620 metric tons and conserving over 60,000 gallons of fuel annually.
 
Chuck Graff, Verizon’s director of corporate and network technology, said the initiatives include implementing strict standards governing the energy efficiency of new network equipment ordered by the company;  making greater use of fuel cells; and testing geothermal heating and cooling facilities.   
  
Verizon’s groundbreaking fiber-to-the-home network is also providing enormous energy savings, Graff said.  The fiber-optic equipment in the network itself consumes only 38 percent of the electric power that copper high-speed Internet facilities consume, he said
  
“Setting and achieving goals and using available technologies are things we all can do,” Graff said. “And one of the triggers for great conservation advances will be America’s broadband networks and services – the lifeblood of the forum and its goals.  As Americans start to use broadband networks more and more, they save energy, too.”
  
For the past eight years, Graff has been sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge across the industry via the Network Equipment Building System, or NEBS conferences through which information and experiences are exchanged among engineers and others.  Accounts of the conferences are available at www.verizonnebs.com.