Verizon In Your Community Blog

Each day 8 million school children take part in afterschool programs. Another 18 million children would participate if additional afterschool programs were available, according to the "America After 3 p.m. Study," a recent study by the Afterschool Alliance. With both parents of many children working, afterschool programs are tremendously important because they are safe places where children can do homework, take part in social activities, and learn. Read more...

Is someone in your family coping with vision loss, or Diabetes, or both? Currently more than 3 million Americans are, and now there’s a new free online resource that can help. Today, the American Foundation for the Blind will unveil its updated AFB Senior Site, including a comprehensive Diabetes guide which includes a host of free materials to help senior citizens stay active, eat sensibly and independently manage medications. Read more...

Idling is a dirty word. It's true. Idling of motors in the U.S. contributes as much as 34.5 million tons of greenhouse gases annually. Don't get me wrong, we've all been guilty of it at one point or another. It's 85 degrees and the humidity is hovering above 70 percent, so while you wait you keep the AC and the car running. But no longer. Nope, not me. I no longer idle, if for no other reason than to stand in solidarity with so many Verizon employees who have helped conserve more than 2 million gallons of fuel since April 2008. That's the equivalent of keeping more than 4,000 cars off the road for a year.

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Guest blogging today is John P. Frantz, a vice president and associate general counsel for Verizon. He is also a coordinator for Verizon's new pro bono program, which is described in detail below. -- With Veterans' Day approaching, it seems like a great time to share a new volunteer program that will help, among others, some of the brave men and women who have returned from duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unfortunately, Veterans are not alone in their need for legal services. Verizon's new pro bono program was created to help meet that need in communities where the company has legal offices. Read more...

I was reminded this week that wisdom doesn’t have an expiration date. You’ve probably heard the adage “Measure twice, cut once.” It’s just as apropos in today’s software-, hardware-driven world. The saying emphasizes the need to carefully consider all of the factors involved in a project so that neither time nor resources are wasted. That’s the spirit behind Verizon’s newest requirement for gear used in our networks. The new requirement: that manufacturers use thermal modeling when designing circuit boards and equipment cabinets to be used in our network gear. Read more...

Domestic violence, has no zip code, knows no education level or gender. Yet, for too long it has been thought of as solely a women's issue. Statistics show, that's simply not true. One-fifth of full-time employed adults are or have been victims of domestic violence (of those 65 percent are female; 35 percent male), according to the Corporate Alliance to End Domestic Violence

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If you've ever walked through Central Park, you know it's one of New York City's jewels. A great part of the urban oasis' magic is the number of trees that (26,000 trees in all) line the park. There's a convenient, easy and cost-effective way that helped Verizon and its customers save twice the number of trees in Central Park in 2008 alone. If I told you that you might even win a prize for doing a good deed, would you do it? Read more...

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When thinking of Verizon most people probably think of cell phones, or FiOS, or the guy with the glasses in the Verizon Wireless commercials. But what about education technology, domestic violence prevention, or Internet safety?...

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As a company we believe our greatest contribution to the environment is our technology, but we remain committed to reducing our own emissions as well. We understand that a company as large as Verizon can have a significant impact...

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Whether it’s a grant to a local nonprofit, a new program that’s reducing energy consumption, or an employee volunteer effort, Verizon makes a positive contribution to the communities it serves. To help share some of that good work, we’re launching the Verizon in the Community Blog. The blog will focus on two topics: Philanthropy and Green Initiatives...

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