Verizon Awards $25,000 to Brooklyn Academy of Music

NEW YORK, August 18, 2009 — The Verizon Foundation has awarded a $15,000 grant to the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) to support students enrolled in its professional development workshops and after-school program. Verizon has also provided an additional $10,000 to support BAM’s Spring Gala.

The programs funded through the Verizon Foundation will support learning-through-performance programs and workshops led by teaching artists. To prepare students for their performances, BAM offers in-school, pre-show preparation workshops to each class attending a performance or film at BAM. The program also includes extensive in-school workshops focused on literacy, film, and dance and music, led by professional teaching artists.

"Verizon is proud of our partnership with BAM" said June Jee, Verizon government and external affairs director. "We are pleased to be able to work with this institution to provide arts education programming for our youth"

BAM President Karen Brooks Hopkins said: "New York City’s cultural institutions are among the greatest in the world, and arts education programs that connect young people to these institutions and the city’s cultural life give our students a competitive advantage. BAM is proud to offer New York City students a variety of stimulating and rewarding educational programming. This would certainly not be possible without support, and we are grateful for the ongoing generosity of the Verizon Foundation - partners committed to the enrichment of our youth for the past nine years. Verizon’s support of programs, including Brooklyn Reads, has been invaluable to our institution and our community"

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence. In 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $68 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $26 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation’s largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 3 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving more than 87 million customers nationwide. Verizon’s Wireline operations provide converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation’s most advanced fiber-optic network. Wireline also includes Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 235,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.