AT&T Philanthropy Programs Endow Florida Nonprofits With More Than $4 Million in 2007

AT&T and the AT&T Foundation -- the corporate philanthropy organization of AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) -- help nonprofits meet their missions by supporting educational improvement programs, as well as improving technology resources. The grants and contributions also assist nonprofit organizations in placing technology tools in the hands of the communities they serve. Funding provides resources such as Internet access, computer training, online math and reading programs and job-skills development.

"Our philosophy on corporate philanthropy is simple: To truly serve our customers is to serve their communities as well," said Marshall Criser, III, President, AT&T Florida. "The AT&T team has a strong desire and longtime commitment to help essential community-based organizations enter the coming years with the tools needed to succeed."

In 2007, AT&T Foundation grants and corporate contributions were awarded to a diverse group of nonprofits, from areas such as children services and domestic violence support to the fine arts. For example, the AT&T Foundation's Excelerator competitive technology grant Program provided a grant to the Manatee County Safety Council in Bradenton to support the creation of a new driver-safety Web site. Another grant went to Spady Cultural Heritage Inc. in Delray Beach to assist its museum preserve and educates the community about African-American cultural history. AT&T provided more than $4 million to implement improved technology for employee training, to instruct teens in the foster care system in computer programming skills and to support cultural organizations.

"AT&T Florida is honored to serve the people of Florida," Criser said. "The roots of our business are in the communities we serve, so linking our philanthropy with organizations that make the communities better places to live and work is a critical component of our continued success."

    Highlights of AT&T Philanthropy Recipients in 2007 Include:

    --  $750,000 to the Public Safety Foundation of America to support
        Internet Protocol (IP) technology and associated education initiatives
        across the nation to protect the lives of thousands of people in
        conjunction with 911 calls made from mobile devices.
    --  GRANT of $230,230 to University of Florida College of Education to
        develop standardized methods for evaluating the effectiveness of
        online education courses by collecting and evaluating data from
        virtual schools in four participating states.
    --  GRANT of $314,000 payable over two years at $157K per year to Florida
        Virtual School to support students' ability to successfully complete
        high school and prepare for and gain access to college through online
        learning opportunities.
    --  $150,000 to Miami Dade College Foundation to support the creation of a
        scholarship fund for students pursuing an education in computer
        information technology and digital media.
    --  $50,000 to Volunteer Florida Inc. (fiscal agent for the Florida
        Disaster Recovery Fund) to support the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund
        efforts with recovery needs of families and communities in Florida
        affected by natural disasters.
    --  $20,000 to Florida Memorial College to help serve its culturally
        diverse student population by supporting scholarship programs in
        liberal and technical education, which is designed to prepare students
        to function effectively in a highly competitive technological global
        society.
    --  $10,000 to Dance Now Ensemble to support school and community outreach
        programs that assist in bringing the company's repertory to schools
        and community centers throughout the region

In 2007, the AT&T Foundation's Excelerator Competitive Technology Grant Program provided technology access to organizations working to strengthen underserved communities across the country. Following are examples of some of the Florida-based organizations that benefited from the $410,000 that the state received in competitive AT&T Excelerator grants:

    --  Children's Services Center (Pensacola) will use its grant to support
        improved technology training for child care providers by offering a
        flexible, Web-based curriculum for individuals pursuing Florida's
        Child Care Provider Credential and those training for the Child Care
        Food Program.
    --  Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science Inc. (Tallahassee) will support
        a technology upgrade, including a new server, laptops and staff
        training, to support Sugar CRM software, which will manage client data
        and enhance administrative tools for business operations.
    --  Family Support Services of North Florida Inc. (Jacksonville) will use
        its grant to support a collaboration with Florida Community College to
        assist 17-year-olds being emancipated from foster care by helping them
        receive computer training that is necessary to complete high school
        and obtain employment. Foster families also receive hardware and
        training.
    --  Valencia Community College Foundation Inc. (Orlando) will use the
        money to support the implementation of new technology for deaf and
        hearing-impaired students. The technology will allow access to
        collegewide lectures (on several campuses) in back-to-back classes in
        a central speech-to-text lab.
    --  Indian River Community College Foundation Inc. (Fort Pierce) will use
        funds to support the creation of digital audio and video recordings of
        lectures and instructional activities by the faculty. Each full-time
        instructor will receive a webcam, digital voice recorder and flash
        drive to enable them to post all lectures online.
    --  Fort Pierce-St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce Foundation Inc. (Fort
        Pierce) will use its grant to support a collaborative effort to create
        three computer labs in underserved communities and to provide Internet
        and software training to enhance educational and economic
        opportunities. Funds will cover the cost of Internet installation.
    --  Women in Distress of Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) will use the
        grant to support the creation of an enhanced Web site that will
        support WID's outreach to promote social change. The site will include
        a calendar of events, information on prevention and where to find help
        and a blog for victims to communicate and seek help.
    --  His House Inc. (Miami) will use its grant to support a collaborative
        effort to enhance the technology infrastructure for students at His
        House Academy, a school for abused and abandoned children. Funds will
        be used to buy laptops, Internet access and educational software for
        students.
    --  Town Park Village (Miami) will use its grant to support a
        collaborative effort to provide a technology infrastructure that will
        include a computer, printer, desktop software and Internet access to
        each family in Town Park Village, a residence community for low-income
        families that promotes self-sufficiency.
    --  Family Resource Center of South Florida Inc. (Homestead) will use its
        grant to support the purchase of eight computers, Internet access and
        educational software for the nursery school and the emergency shelter.
        These additions will provide developmental assistance for the
        preschool kids and homework access for the students in the shelter.
    --  Monroe Association for Retarded Citizens Inc. (Key West) will use
        funds to support an enhanced computer infrastructure and provide
        training to the staff on basic computer skills, Internet searching,
        business-related software, including Windows XP, and database
        management.

Note: This AT&T release and other news announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss.

About Philanthropy at AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives and partnerships, AT&T supports projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. In 2006, AT&T contributed more than $101 million through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T and the AT&T Foundation, the corporate philanthropy organization of AT&T Inc., combine more than $1.8 billion of historic charitable commitment to communities across the country.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in theUnited States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.

(C) 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: Computers and Electronics, VOIP, Phones and Telecommunications, High Tech, florida

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