Check Into Literacy

Thanks to the generosity of Verizon Pennsylvania landline customers who participated in the company's Check Into Literacy program, 31 nonprofit organizations across Pennsylvania will share more than $160,000 in grants to support education programs, particularly those that use technology for teaching, learning and reaching more people.

The program allows Verizon landline phone customers to support education by checking a box on their monthly phone bills to make a $1 tax-deductible donation.  Verizon then distributes these donations to local organizations that serve the individual states in which the customers live.

Contributions from Pennsylvania residents are part of more than $585,000 given this year to literacy organizations throughout the country through the Check Into Literacy program.

Grants have been awarded to the following Pennsylvania organizations:

• After School Activities Partnership, Philadelphia - $10,000
• Andrew Jackson School, Philadelphia - $3,000
• Bayard Rustin High School, West Chester - $5,000
• Beaver County Association for the Blind, Beaver Falls - $5,000
• Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, Philadelphia - $5,000
• Clarion County Literacy Council, Clarion - $5,000
• Downingtown STEM Academy, Downingtown - $4,300
• Erie Times News in Education, Erie - $5,000
• Fayette County Community Action Agency, Uniontown - $1,500
• Foundation for Reading Area Community College, Reading - $4,200
• Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia - $25,000
• Grands As Parents, Philadelphia - $2,081
• Indiana Free Library, Inc.,  Indiana - $5,000
• Literacy Council for Schuylkill County, Pottsville - $5,000
• Mayor's Commission on Literacy, Philadelphia - $5,000
• Mid-State Literacy Council, State College - $5,000
• North Wales Area Library, North Wales - $5,000
• Panther Valley School District, Lansford - $5,000
• Penn State University - Brandywine, Media - $5,000
• Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education, Pittsburgh - $10,000
• Philadelphia Academies, Inc., Philadelphia - $5,000
• Philadelphia READS, Philadelphia - $5,000
• Philadelphia Young Playwrights, Philadelphia - $5,000
• Silver Springs-Martin Luther School, Plymouth Meeting - $3,500
• St. Anthony's Youth Center, Easton - $5,000
• St. Christopher's School, Philadelphia - $2,000
• Temple University - Grandma's Kids, Philadelphia - $2,500
• The Literacy Center of the Lehigh Valley, Allentown - $4,300 
• Tickets for Kids, Pittsburgh - $2,000
• United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA, Scranton - $5,000
• Washington County Literacy Council, Washington - $5,000