Verizon Foundation Awards $65,000 to Five Metropolitan Detroit Nonprofit Organizations

Grants Focus On Domestic Violence Prevention, Literacy and Technology.

The Verizon Foundation today announced it has awarded $65,000 in grants to help meet increased educational and social services needs across metropolitan Detroit. Each grant supports at least one of the Verizon Foundation's principal areas of focus: literacy, domestic violence prevention and technology.

The following five organizations received grants:
* Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills ($30,000): To
support its Interactive Distance Learning program, in which the
institute delivers innovative, high-quality educational science programs
to school districts across the nation using interactive video
conferencing technology.
* The Children's Center of Wayne County Inc. in Detroit ($10,000): To help
build literacy skills by tutoring children at risk for academic failure
and by focusing on three initiatives: increasing self confidence,
encouraging positive, can-do thinking and attitudes, and increasing
academic achievement.
* Wayne State University in Detroit ($10,000): To support a tutoring
program for at-risk Detroit youth that includes evaluating students' eye
movements during the process of reading to identify specific related
difficulties.
* HAVEN in Bloomfield Hills ($10,000): To help streamline and update the
organization's computer and software systems currently used to track
staff time and client data. The upgraded technology will enable HAVEN to
be more efficient in assisting clients and measuring and analyzing
statistical and demographic data.
* Turning Point Inc. in Mount Clemens ($5,000): To upgrade technology that
will create a central case management database for tracking client
information and services rendered. This improvement will help the
organization operate more efficiently.

For more information on the Verizon Foundation or to apply for a grant, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 57 million customers. The largest U.S. wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 60,000 employees nationwide. The company is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ - News) and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD; LSE). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.


Source: Verizon Wireless