Habitat for Humanity Receives $70,000 from Verizon to Support ’Operation Home Delivery’

Company Donation, Based on Sales of Verizon Business DSL Service, Will Help Provide New Homes in Storm-Damaged Gulf Coast States

January 26, 2006, ATLANTA - Operation Home Delivery, a project of Habitat for Humanity to help families whose homes were damaged or destroyed by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, today received a check for $70,000 from Verizon Online to support the rebuilding effort.

Verizon Online donated $1 for every Business DSL line that customers ordered from October through December 2005, and then it donated an additional $10,000 each month due to exceptionally high sales. To date, Verizon and its employees have contributed more than $12 million to last year’s hurricane relief efforts.

“Verizon and its employees provided aid to the Gulf Coast states immediately after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina,” said Irene Willis, vice president - national sales for Verizon. “We wanted to continue our efforts, and upon learning about the launch of Operation Home Delivery, we quickly identified a sales promotion, which our sales associates embraced, to raise money for Habitat for Humanity’s latest project.”

A portion of the funding used for the Verizon sales staff’s incentive sales programs was reallocated to support this initiative. The dollars raised will go to Operation Home Delivery, which provides a fast-response program to help rebuild homes along the storm-battered Gulf Coast.

“Verizon’s support of Operation Home Delivery speaks volumes about the company’s commitment to helping people help themselves,” said Mark Crozet, resource development senior vice president for Habitat. “This gift will build more than a house. It will help a family rebuild its life and help rebuild hope for others in the community. It’s a powerful statement to the progress that can be made with help from companies such as Verizon.”

According to Willis, Verizon Online’s sales staff developed motivational tools to help each other increase sales of Verizon business DSL, thus driving donations for Habitat for Humanity.

Operation Home Delivery, which was launched immediately after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, is a two-phase approach to rebuilding. In the first phase, volunteers around the country pre-build frames for houses that are then shipped to hurricane-damaged areas on the Gulf Coast where they can quickly be completed to provide permanent housing solutions. The second phase will begin when infrastructure and conditions allow for in-place building, Habitat’s traditional method. Then, Habitat officials plan to begin building what over the years will be thousands of homes.

Verizon Business DSL (digital subscriber line) products provide small- to mid-sized business customers high-speed access to the Internet and services provided over the Internet that help them operate smoothly and efficiently.

Verizon and its employees have contributed more than $12 million to relief efforts in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita through the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the NAACP. Verizon’s efforts included the dispatching of more than 200 Verizon technicians to New Orleans to help in the restoration of BellSouth’s battered network, distributing 20,000 prepaid calling cards and 10,000 wireless phones with airtime and providing 24 call centers and nearly 7,000 employee volunteers in support of the September 9 “Shelter from the Storm” telethon. Verizon continues to explore ways to support Gulf Coast communities. Recently, Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston joined leaders of the relief and rebuilding effort who met with President Bush to discuss recovery efforts.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International, based in Americus, Ga., is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for one million people. Operation Home Delivery is the emergency effort that was recently launched after Hurricane Katrina to help families in the affected areas recover and rebuild. www.habitat.org.

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), a Dow 30 company, is a leader in delivering broadband and other communication innovations to wireline and wireless customers. Verizon operates America’s most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 million customers nationwide; one of the most expansive wholly-owned global IP networks; and one of the nation’s premier wireline networks, serving home, business and wholesale customers. Based in New York, Verizon has a diverse workforce of approximately 250,000 and generates annual consolidated operating revenues of approximately $90 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

Contact Information

Ellen Yu

Verizon Communications Inc.

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