THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Verizon has reaffirmed its commitment in California to improving literacy and education, combating domestic violence and using technology to improve health care through grants for a broad range of programs. In 2006, the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, donated over $8 million to more than 270 nonprofit groups in the state.

"Literacy and education, domestic violence prevention and technology access are the underpinnings of all our grant-making," said Tim McCallion, president of Verizon’s West region. "Verizon is fully committed to supporting organizations that are making inroads in these important areas."

Among the grants awarded by Verizon in 2006 were:

* LA’s BEST After-School Enrichment Program, Los Angeles – $1 million over two years to support Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s education initiative through the expansion of an after-school literacy program.

* Discovery Center for Science and Technology, Thousand Oaks – $500,000 for the Verizon Community Clubhouse, a center that will give school children, teens and adults hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology such as telecommunications, biotechnology and aerospace.

* Children’s Museum of Los Angeles, Van Nuys – $95,000 for Reading Edge, part of the Museum2Go program, which brings technology education, literacy and arts learning to elementary-school-aged children in communities in need.

* Western Center Community Foundation (a.k.a. Western Center for Archaeology & Paleontology), Hemet – $50,000 to launch Dig Into Reading Today (DIRT), a literacy program for children in kindergarten through 12th grade.

* Greater Sacramento Urban League, Sacramento – $50,000 to fund a workforce development and technology training center.

* Mustard Seed Tutorial Center, Redlands – $50,000 for the expansion of a literacy program that will serve an additional 170 children through the use of technology.

* Black Business Association, Los Angeles – $42,000 to provide business training and technical support to minority business owners.

* San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Foundation, Banning – $30,000 for a project to make patient medical records available online to emergency-room personnel.

* Alexandria House, Los Angeles – $25,000 for the Children, Youth and Family Collaborative, a program that provides academic support, life skills training, employment development, college counseling and post-emancipation support for foster children and at-risk youth.

* El Centrito De La Colonia, Oxnard – $25,000 to support an early-literacy and school-readiness program.

Verizon works closely with a variety of advisory groups and nonprofit organizations to identify local needs and to develop and nurture programs that address those needs through the philanthropic support of the Verizon Foundation.

Verizon delivers technology that touches life. The Verizon Foundation uses that technology and its financial resources to improve literacy and K-12 education; help families victimized by domestic violence; and improve the delivery of health care. In 2005, the foundation awarded more than $74 million in grants to charitable and nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, which is one of the largest employee volunteer programs in the United States and responsible for 2 million hours of community service since 2000 and $35.6 million in combined contributions to nonprofits in 2005 alone.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a New York-based Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 57 million customers nationwide. Verizon’s Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which operates one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks, and Verizon Telecom, which is deploying the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network to deliver the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services to customers.