National Urban League Honors Verizon Foundation President Rose Stuckey Kirk as 2011 Woman of Power

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Foundation President Rose Stuckey Kirk has been honored by the National Urban League as one of 2011's Women of Power.  An awards luncheon held Saturday (July 30) recognized Kirk and seven other women for their leadership and influence in civil rights, technology, entertainment, journalism, sports and the corporate sector.

"Rose's work on education with Verizon Thinkfinity has been inspirational," said Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. "Strong leaders like Rose serve as role models for our young people, who can aspire to be of service as they celebrate achievement."

Kirk said, "It is no secret that we are in an education crisis in America. At Verizon, we believe it is our responsibility to use our many technological resources to address this issue and change the trajectory of failure for so many students. I am humbled by the National Urban League's recognition of Verizon's great work."

As president of the Verizon Foundation, Kirk has accountability for leading the company's philanthropic strategy by leveraging Verizon's technology, financial resources, employees and partnerships to improve social issues. The foundation specifically focuses its efforts on creating lasting change in the areas of education, domestic violence prevention and online safety.

The luncheon was hosted by CBS News Correspondent Michelle Miller.  The National Urban League Women of Power awards were also presented to: Wendy Lewis, senior vice president, diversity and strategic alliances, Major League Baseball; Wendy Raquel Robinson, actress, BET comedy-drama "The Game;" Edith G. White, president and CEO, Hampton Roads; Lisa E. Davis, partner, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC; Ayanna Pressley, councilor  at large, Boston City  Council; Tamron Hall, host, MSNBC's "NewsNation" and anchor, NBC; and Associate Justice Kimberly S. Budd, superior court, Massachusetts Court System.    

About the Verizon Foundation

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, uses its technology, financial resources and partnerships to address critical social issues, with a focus on education and domestic violence prevention. In 2010, the foundation awarded nearly $67 million to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered nearly 6 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.  For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

About the National Urban League

The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are more than 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide.

SOURCE The Verizon Foundation