VERIZON SUPPORTS WORKFORCE READINESS

[Springfield, MA] Recently Carol Baribeau, Verizon’s Director of Public Affairs presented Jennifer A. Connolly, President of Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts with a check for $4,000 to support JA’s Job Shadow programs and the expansion of JA’s Urban Initiative.

For the past three years Verizon has been one of the lead sponsors for JA Job Shadow, which kicks off on February 2, 2007. Last year more than 1,100 students in western Massachusetts participated in JA Job Shadow events. This year the goal is to involve more than 1200 students.

The JA Urban Initiative started last year with the formation of the JA Urban Initiative Advisory Council, made up of local minority leaders, educators and local business executives, dedicated to helping improve the lives of urban children. Between December 2005 and June 2006 JA’s Urban Initiative helped us reach 25% more inner city youth than the previous year. In addition our community collaboration efforts with organizations such as the Urban League of Greater Springfield, the Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce and the Dunbar Community Center helped us growth our after-school programs by 565%.

This year The Urban Initiative Project includes reaching more classrooms in Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Pittsfield and North Adams, in addition to our continued outreach to cities and towns in Western Massachusetts.