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by Jim Chambless
For the last couple of years, the sound of recording artist Kathy Fisher singing the Rascals' 1968 classic "People Got to Be Free" has signified that an ad for Verizon was unspooling on the radio or television. As listeners and viewers start humming along to that catchy old melody, the narration introduces a new Verizon product or service. Then the music swells and James Earl Jones closes the voiceover by gently urging us: "Join in." As sales tools, those understated ads are pretty darned effective, and the campaign has likely gotten many new customers to "join in" by purchasing Verizon products and services.
What the ads don't say, though, is that at Verizon, the admonition to "join in" isn't just directed at their customers. Indeed, in terms of participating in and being part of the world at large – joining in, if you will – Verizon truly puts their money where their mouth is. And the Lone Star Chapter has again recently benefited from Verizon's sense of corporate citizenship. Through the efforts of Verizon employee Marian Blake – STC senior member, LSC Scholarship Committee chairperson, and former Chapter treasurer – the Lone Star Chapter recently received a $500 contribution to help fund future Chapter activities.
LSC President Michelle Knoerzer said, "On behalf of all Chapter members, we thank Verizon for their donation to LSC. We haven't earmarked the funds for a specific purpose – yet – but we have several activities coming up, including the Winter Workshops and a couple of out-of-town speakers, that will definitely benefit from this donation." To further recognize Verizon for their generosity, Technically Write and the Chapter's Public Relations Committee would like to shed just a little more light on the LSC's latest benefactor.
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STC members in the DFW area who at one time were customers of the former GTE might recall that Verizon Communications is the result of the merger between GTE and Bell Atlantic. That corporate union created one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Today, according to their corporate website, "Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, as well as the largest directory publisher in the world. Verizon employs approximately 247,000 employees and its global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific." In the Dallas-Fort Worth area alone, Verizon employs 10,586 people.
Verizon strongly believes in giving back to society. It is committed to helping employees, customers, and the communities in which they work, live, and conduct business, to make progress every day by bridging the "digital divide," championing the cause of literacy, and using matching gifts to encourage employees to plan and manage their participation in community projects and organizations of their own choosing.
Verizon's corporate philanthropy is structured by two nonprofit entities – Verizon Foundation and Verizon Reads – and by a robust volunteerism program that uses matching foundation gifts as noted above.
Verizon Foundation is a privately endowed charity that is committed to what the corporate website calls "venture philanthropy – investing in the development of capacity infrastructure to create new leadership models for our communities." The Verizon Foundation mission is to "provide an online philanthropic community network that aims to support the 700,000 nonprofit organizations in America. This network includes many other corporate and private foundation partners, government agencies, and a vast number of individuals who want to donate their time and money." Verizon annually invests in more than 12,000 nonprofit organizations based on strategic partnerships and innovative technology programs.
Verizon Reads is the company's signature philanthropic program and the name of Verizon's public charity. Literacy has been a top priority for Verizon since the company's inception in 2000. Through a combination of corporate philanthropy, consumer and customer outreach, employee participation, and partnerships with literacy agencies and notable celebrity supporters across the nation, Verizon seeks to improve literacy levels in America.
The mission of Verizon Reads is to increase public awareness of low literacy levels, funding and support of local and national literacy programs, and collaboration among literacy organizations. Verizon Reads raises monies for literacy and distributes the donations to local and national literacy providers.
Grants also are made to literacy providers by Verizon Foundation. In 2001, the foundation donated nearly $20M to local and national literacy providers to support the literacy organizations' operations and new project development.
Finally, Verizon Foundation sponsors several programs that encourage employees to donate their time and financial resources to the organizations and activities they're most interested in through the Verizon Volunteers program and its Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP). To receive a $500 VIP donation, as the Chapter recently did, Ms. Blake says, "A Verizon employee must volunteer 50 documented hours or more per year for an organization. In LSC's case, the Verizon Foundation contacted Chapter Treasurer Ruby Bohannon to verify the time I spent on scholarships and the Fort Worth satellite group. Upon confirmation, the Foundation issued the check to LSC."
The Verizon Foundation provides up to $23,750 a year per employee in matching gifts and grants. According to Ms. Blake, "Verizon really does want its employees to spend time helping nonprofits that are important to them, whether they're related to one's profession or not. The grant opportunities are a great motivation to get out and donate some time. Foundation donations are based on the hours an employee devotes to his or her chosen organization."
All told, Verizon employees invest their talents and time in the communities where they live and work. They volunteer their time each year to worthy nonprofit organizations and donate millions of dollars through the Verizon Volunteers program. These efforts include everything from literacy programs and philanthropic organizations to medical and disaster-relief efforts, including more than $14 million in direct and matched employee contributions to The September 11 Fund.
Suzanne DuBose, President, Verizon Foundation, says on the corporate website, "Verizon Volunteers puts the power to help nonprofit agencies in the communities we serve into the hands of our employees nationwide. Our employees' good works – both on the job and through their volunteer efforts – strengthen our bond with our communities and our customers."
Verizon employees last year earned more than $20 million in grants for nonprofits, a sum that makes Verizon one of the largest supporters of employee volunteerism in the world. Adds Kathryn Poe, LSC First Vice President, "We're very pleased that a company of Verizon's size and reputation has chosen STC, and the Lone Star Chapter, as one of the nonprofit organizations that they support. It speaks well of both STC's mission and the LSC's direction."
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STC membership dues enable STC International and local chapters to provide a basic level of service to members. But as with many nonprofits, outside contributions from for-profit corporations and other agencies can enhance member benefits beyond the basics – such as allowing the Chapter to bring in an internationally known speaker like Richard Lederer in May 2002.
LSC is fortunate to have received donations from organizations such as Verizon, Exxon-Mobil, and ABCO Publishing. However, the Chapter is always in search of new donors to further expand the scope of services and benefits it provides. If your company is interested in becoming a Lone Star Chapter donor or sustaining organization, contact President Michelle Knoerzer at mknoerzerlsc@aol.com. After all, the more who join in an effort, the greater the benefit to all.