Verizon Employees Make the Grade

Children suffer when budget cuts make it difficult for teachers to get what they need. Verizon is proud to help meet the supply needs of underserved schools in 16 countries around the globe with the Tools for Schools campaign. Through the generosity of our employees, Verizon puts much-needed school supplies in the hands of students in our local communities.  

Having the Drive Makes a Difference

For the past nine years, more than 200 Verizon Campaign Coordinators around the world have challenged employees to step up and participate in drives for school supplies. Coordinators select local schools and organizations in need, set up donation boxes for new school supplies and help promote the campaign to employees.  Our 2013 campaign benefited more than 170 schools.

“This campaign provides an easy but meaningful way for employees to help ensure a good start to the school year for thousands of students,” says Jayne Mayer, Director of Employee Volunteerism. “Through the generosity of our employees, Verizon is able to put much-needed school supplies in the hands of students in our local communities around the globe.”

 It can be very difficult to achieve the level of education [students] deserve without the proper tools. Not everyone can afford all of the necessary tools to be successful in the classroom.

Kelly Zanczewski, Associate Director of Health & Wellness in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, encourages her fellow employees to support the Tools for Schools drive. Verizon Fitness Center teams across the US are heavily involved every year. Kelly likes to make the drive enjoyable for everyone, saying, “Sometimes we’ll even create a friendly competition to see which team can donate the most items. The winning team receives some kind of fun reward.”

Giving Back is the Right Thing To Do

Mandi Russow, who works in a Verizon Customer Service Center and is a coordinator for the campaign, believes in helping children reach their potential. “It can be very difficult to achieve the level of education [students] deserve without the proper tools,” she says. “Not everyone can afford all of the necessary tools to be successful in the classroom.”

Gabrielle Hovey-Prescott, a Resource Management Analyst for Verizon, enjoys participating in the Tools for Schools campaign every year. She takes satisfaction from knowing that “it will help kids get the school supplies that they need for their education.”

Verizon employees appreciate the opportunity to give back to the community in this way. A good education is at the core of a healthy and well-adjusted child, and having the proper resources to learn can set children up for success—and that has a positive, lasting impression on their lives.