Verizon Wireless Donates Nearly $500,000 to Florida Community Organizations in 2003, Plans Similar Effort In 2004

MIAMI, FL — Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless provider, donated more than $500,000 in cash and services to community organizations throughout Florida in 2003 and has announced goals to exceed that mark for 2004. The company has long supported Florida's domestic violence awareness and prevention organizations, and last year was able to also administer literacy and technology grants locally through the Verizon Foundation.

Certified 501c3 organizations in Florida who would like 2004 grant information should visit www.verizon.com/foundation.  

"Many valuable community organizations in Florida have felt the pinch as corporate donations have slowed, yet their needs are as great as ever," said Mike Lanman, Florida region president for Verizon Wireless. "We'll continue to help, and embrace these types of community-based activities as a responsibility we have as the state's leader in wireless communications."

The company's community relations outreach programs in 2003 were diverse:

• Verizon Wireless created and organized The Florida Clothesline Project, an awareness exhibit that traveled more than 1,400 miles and featured t-shirt art designed by survivors and families at Florida's domestic violence shelters. The project — which has won two national awards -- was viewed by a potential audience of one million people and generated more than $50,000 in donations to domestic violence organizations through the company's HopeLine^SM phone recycling program.
• A $25,000 literacy grant made to the Coalition of Florida Farmworkers Organization helped hundreds of children learn to read in the state's migrant worker communities.
• Women in Distress of Broward County used a $15,000 grant to construct a computer center for shelter residents to use for job applications, skills training and education.
• The company donated $5000 to the Florida Audubon Society to help generate awareness of the need for consumers to recycle old cell phones rather than discard them in landfills.
• The company helped sponsor Miami's first corporate summit on domestic violence, and used its retail stores as pick-up points in the Jacksonville mayor's Purple Ribbon Campaign during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October.

More than 4,000 South Florida youths were treated to a live look at Miami Dolphins game action from the Verizon Wireless "Connection Section" at Pro Player Stadium during the 2003-2004 National Football League season. Local groups such as the Boys & Girls Club, Police Athletic League, Amigos Together for Kids and Do the Right Thing enjoyed more than $200,000 in free tickets and food last year.

A partial list of additional local organizations that benefited from the Verizon Wireless community relations programs in 2003 includes: Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Miami ($15,000); Broward Gold Coast Downs Syndrome Organization ($4,000); Extended Hands Community Outreach, Inc. (EHCO) in Palm Beach County ($10,000); Florence Fuller Child Development Center ($10,000); The Starting Place ($7,500); Friends of ACT-SO, INC. ($4,000); Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County ($15,000); Survivors Charter School ($9,300); The Casimiro Foundation ($9,500); and the Spring of Tampa Bay ($15,000).

For additional information on Verizon Wireless community relations programs in Florida, please visit verizonwireless.com/foundation

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and data network and 37.5 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). To receive broadcast-quality video footage of Verizon Wireless operations, log onto www.thenewsmarket.com. Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com.

####