JVS Uses $9,500 Donation From Verizon Wireless To Help Detroit, Michigan's Homeless Achieve Economic Self-Sufficiency

SOUTHFIELD, MI — JVS, a non-profit career development organization, will use a $9,500 grant from Verizon Wireless to help fund the organization's Career Initiative Center (CIC), which helps homeless, single adults in Detroit move from dependency to economic self-sufficiency through life skills development and job placement.

The grant from Verizon Wireless was given through the Verizon Foundation.

Specifically, the grant will fund the assessment tools necessary to determine an individual's current education and basic literacy level, and public transportation for participants to and from the CIC to access the computer lab. Both program components are critical in enabling CIC participants to become employable and enter the workforce.

"We are committed to fighting illiteracy in our community," said Greg Haller, president - Michigan/Indiana/Kentucky Region, Verizon Wireless. "JVS' Career Initiative Center plays a crucial role in making Detroit a more literate community by helping people obtain the skills they need to find jobs and become self-sufficient."

JVS has been serving southeastern Michigan for 63 years. The organization has evolved from its World War II roots of providing employment services for women and job counseling for returning veterans to a comprehensive human services organization that served more than 29,000 persons last year. Its array of counseling, training and support services help people with disabilities, refugees, frail and at-risk senior adults, youth, people with economic and educational disadvantages, the homeless, job seekers and employers, and other community-based organizations through collaborative efforts.

"JVS is grateful for Verizon Wireless' support of the CIC and its commitment to helping the most vulnerable people in the city of Detroit," said JVS President and CEO Barbara Nurenberg. "Its support will enable individuals to gauge their skills and identify areas for improvement so they can compete in today's aggressive job market."

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 45.5 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, N.J., Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). 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.

About JVS
JVS is a non-profit organization that serves nearly 30,000 people annually. The agency is headquartered in Southfield and has offices in Detroit, Roseville and West Bloomfield. It operates three nationally acclaimed career centers called "Detroit's Work Place" for the City of Detroit and is a leading provider of career development, employment, vocational rehabilitation, senior adult and youth services.

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