Articles
News
Qwest Displays Spirit of Service Through Donations and Volunteerism
DES MOINES, Iowa-(Business Wire)-January 31, 2008 - Qwest and the Qwest Foundation are excited to enter a new year of giving, and pleased to highlight philanthropic work that took place throughout the state of Iowa in 2007. Last year, Qwest, Qwest employees and the Qwest Foundation donated approximately $352,000 to various causes throughout the state — while employees and retirees volunteered more than 36,000 hours.
"We are proud to give back to the organizations that make a difference in the lives of others," said Max Phillips, Qwest president in Iowa. "We are dedicated to the communities where our employees and their families live and work."
Donations and volunteer hours include the following:
Qwest Foundation grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Iowa totaled over $141,000 in 2007. Grant recipients included: Children and Families of Iowa, Des Moines Metro Opera, Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates, Iowa School Boards Foundation, Kittrell Head Start, School Administrators of Iowa, Science Center of Iowa, Sioux City Community School District, St Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church and University of Iowa Foundation.
Also, thanks to a Qwest Foundation grant for the Qwest Teachers and Technology program, the Iowa School Board Foundation will provide financial resources to teachers interested in developing creative ways to use technology in the classroom. The grant program recognizes Iowa K-12 teachers who are already creative technology integrators, and want to take the power of digital learning technologies to the next level.
During the 2007 United Way campaign, Qwest Iowa employees donated nearly $98,000 and the Qwest Foundation matched employee contributions 75 cents to the dollar, adding another $70,000.
The Qwest Pioneers are part of the Telecom Pioneers, the largest, industry-related volunteer organization in the world. As a group of employees and retirees, Qwest Pioneers donate their time and talents to community projects. In 2007, Qwest Iowa Pioneers volunteered nearly 32,000 hours to different projects.
The Matching Time grants are another way Qwest employees give back to their communities. Employees who volunteer 60 hours of time over a six-month period receive a check for $500 for the nonprofit on behalf of the volunteer and Qwest. With Qwest's focus on education, the Foundation will donate $1,000 to the nonprofit agency on behalf of employees who volunteer their time with programs that directly advance classroom success. In Iowa, the Qwest Foundation made 53 Matching Time grants in 2007, donating a total of $28,000.
About the Qwest Foundation:
The Qwest Foundation's core principle is that investing in people and communities provides lasting value for the future. The Qwest Foundation awards grants to community-based programs that generate high-impact and measurable results, focusing on pre-K through grade 12 education.
