Living Advantage, Inc. Receives Verizon Grant for Expanding Opportunities for Youth in Foster Care

Oct. 5, 2011 - PRLog -- LOS ANGELES – More than 100 hundred Los Angeles area youth living in foster care will receive enhanced access to information that promotes education, independence, and self-sufficiency, thanks to a $9,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon. With the help of the University of Southern California’s Joint Educational Project, USC Department of Psychology, Foshay Learning Center, and Verizon Thinkfinity.org educational resources will be integrated as part of Living Advantage’s Virtual Assistant Living and Educational (VALE) program. The VALE program is a secure e-data collection and storage web application that maintains vital life documents, including birth certificates and social security cards, for foster youth as they move through the foster system.

“Facts prove that, when foster youth are removed from an abusive environment their immediate physical safety improves; however the change can lead to a lack of educational attention. When youth are moved from place to place their personal identification information fails to follow them, creating an educational road block,” said Pamela Clay, Living Advantage executive director. “Verizon plays a very instrumental part in working with us to utilize technology and electronic devices as a basis for supporting foster youth. We greatly appreciate Verizon's continued support and trust in our innovative service to at-risk youth. We are looking forward to our collaboration with USC’s Joint Educational Project, Foshay Learning Center, and the USC Department of Psychology in implementing the Verizon Thinkfinity.org program within the USC Family of Schools.”
Verizon Thinkfinity.org is a free, comprehensive Web site containing more than 55,000 educational resources, including standards-based, grade-specific, K-12 lesson plans, online educational games, videos and other materials provided in partnership with many of the nation’s leading educational organizations.

“Verizon is pleased to partner with Living Advantage to give foster youth a greater chance at educational success,” said Julia Cooksey, Verizon director of government and external affairs. “By implementing the Thinkfinity.org assessments, Read, Write, Think and Mathematic programs, students can follow through with their education even if they are removed from one home and placed into another across the city.”

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Verizon Thinkfinity (www.thinkfinity.org), and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence.  In 2009, the Verizon Foundation awarded $67.9 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad.  It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $26.1 million in combined contributions to nonprofits.  Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation’s largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 5 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

About Living Advantage, Inc.
The vision of Living Advantage, Inc. is to support all foster youth transitioning into adulthood. The mission of Living Advantage, Inc. is to utilize innovative technology to reduce the dis-connect of services experienced by our Los Angeles County foster youth. Living Advantage Inc. offers continuous support services for foster youth to easily and securely access their personal identification information and to improve their education, career, health and independent living skills necessary for successful transition into independent adulthood. Living Advantage inspires and educates people about how to invest in the lives of our youth living in foster care, to raise money and bring awareness through live entertainment, online video streaming and social media. www.LivingAdvantageInc.org
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About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ-VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wire line communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 91 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of approximately 222,900 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $106 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com  

VERIZON’S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon’s News Center on the World Wide Web at www.verizon.com/news.  To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

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The mission of Living Advantage is to eliminate unemployment, homelessness and incarceration for youth in foster care living in Los Angeles County. We assist youth with locating and maintaining their vital life documents and family history.