Jersey City School to Benefit From Verizon, 'Jersey Cares' Volunteer Project

JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 250 third through sixth graders at Rafael De J. Cordero School – P.S. 37 will meet on Thursday (March 13) with nearly 200 Verizon employees who will visit the school to lead a project focused on science-related activities designed to engage the students and on offering mentoring opportunities to them.

The Verizon participants in the day-long volunteer project, organized by Jersey Cares, are members of an elite group of newly hired college graduates who are part of the Verizon Leadership Development Program. The individuals represent the next generation of Verizon leaders and are committed to corporate responsibility and giving back to the communities Verizon serves.

"Verizon has a long-standing commitment of supporting education programs," said Jayne Mayer, director of employee engagement at the Verizon Foundation. "This initiative provides opportunities for our employees to give back in a meaningful way, through hands-on projects that showcase the power of science and engineering with the hopes of getting students excited about their futures and what they can achieve."

The volunteers will lead solar car and robotics workshops; create stadium seating for the students in the library; create flashcards to sharpen the students' test taking skills; paint canvas murals to be hung throughout the hallways and classrooms; and engage students through election and international culture workshops.

Jersey Cares, a Newark-based nonprofit organization that coordinates volunteer opportunities and promotes civic engagement throughout  New Jersey, worked with the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, to plan the volunteer event and to facilitate the day's activities.

"Verizon is a leader in the communities in which it does business, so it is no surprise that the company is cultivating the next generation of socially responsible leaders," said Brian Dean, executive director of Jersey Cares. "Jersey Cares is honored to partner with Verizon to bring this tradition not only to Verizon employees, but to New Jersey's students, laying the foundation for a future of stronger communities."      

The Verizon Foundation is focused on accelerating social change by using the company's innovative technology to help solve pressing problems in education, healthcare and energy management. Since 2000, the Verizon Foundation has invested more than half a billion dollars to improve the communities where Verizon employees work and live. Verizon's employees are generous with their donations and their time, having logged more than 6.8 million hours of service to make a positive difference in their communities. For more information about Verizon's philanthropic work, visit www.verizonfoundation.org; or for regular updates, visit the Foundation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/verizonfoundation) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/verizongiving).

About Jersey Cares
Jersey Cares is a dynamic nonprofit organization that meets community needs by making volunteering in New Jersey easy and meaningful. Jersey Cares works directly with local nonprofit organizations and schools, identifying their needs and training volunteer leaders to manage projects that address them. Jersey Cares volunteers have provided thousands of hours of service to communities, including: mentoring troubled teens, reaching out to isolated seniors, working with the mentally and physically challenged, restoring the environment and assisting children with their schoolwork. Jersey Cares offers meaningful volunteer opportunities that showcase the rewards of civic engagement and address some of our communities' most serious needs. For more information, please visit www.jerseycares.org. 

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with nearly 103 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries. A Dow 30 company with more than $120 billion in 2013 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 176,800. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon